


A Lesson to Learn

by soupremeleader



Category: Adam Driver - Fandom, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: A lot of supernatural stuff made up by me, All aboard the short pain train, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Online Dating, Anakin Skywalker Has Issues, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, But not in this main fic - there are one shots you can read if you want the smut, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Claiming, Crylo Ren has entered the chat, Dark Kylo Ren, Demon Kylo Ren, Demon!Kylo, Devoted Kylo Ren, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Dog Chewbacca, Domestic Fluff, Dominant Kylo Ren, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Five gold stars for Hux for putting up with Kylo and being a good friend, Flirting, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Hair Braiding, Halloween, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Intimacy, Its gonna get overwhelmingly fluffy, Jealous Kylo Ren, Jealous Rey (Star Wars), Kissing, Kylo Ren Angst, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren Redemption, Kylo Ren saves the day, Leia Organa is God, Light Angst, Like Kylo and Rey eventually baking gingerbread cookies together fluffy, Making Out, Marking, Massage, Mutual Pining, Neck Kissing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Online Dating, POV Kylo Ren, POV Rey, Paranormal, Possessive Kylo Ren, Praise Kink, Prison, Prisoner Kylo Ren, Protective Kylo Ren, Public Claiming, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rey is sweet and good, Rey teaches Kylo Ren about the modern world, Save the bees, Slow Burn, Soft Kylo Ren, Soul Bond, Strong Female Characters, Supernatural Elements, Teasing, That's Not How The Force Works, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Top Kylo Ren, Traditions, Virgin Kylo Ren, background stormpilot, god is a woman, happy ending guaranteed, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:15:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 73,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25474477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soupremeleader/pseuds/soupremeleader
Summary: After committing what Kylo Ren only refers to as "The Big Oops", naughty devil/demon Kylo Ren is punished for his bad deeds by God (who also happens to be Leia Organa, his mother). As punishment, Kylo Ren is trapped and bound to a ring which is hidden away on Earth. When someone wears the ring Kylo Ren is bound to serve them, that is if they can force (or convince) him to reveal himself and listen to their wishes. His only chance at escape from his imprisonment is when, according to Leia, the "right person comes along and releases you".Frustrated at his mother's cryptic words regarding his freedom and his ring having ended up at a thrift store at the bottom of a jewelry box for years, Kylo Ren's ring is finally picked up by a gentle and unassuming woman - Rey Dameron. Kylo finds himself instantly attached to this rather average looking woman and is (almost?) excited to be bound to her and to serve her.Will Kylo reveal himself to Rey so that they can get into some trouble together? Will Rey be willing to keep the ring once she realizes the power it holds? And will Rey begin to feel the same sort of attachment towards Kylo that he already feels towards her?Now with smut!! Info in beginning notes :)
Relationships: Amilyn Holdo/BB, Armitage Hux/Original Female Character(s), Finn - Relationship, Kylo Ren & Rey, Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 84
Kudos: 185
Collections: A Lesson to Learn Main Fic and Companion/Stand Alone One Shots





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hell Is Empty](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816740) by [RoseFreckles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseFreckles/pseuds/RoseFreckles). 



> I love fantasy romance and am a sucker for fluff, supernatural themes, and good bad boys. Hoping that this fic fills the needs I have been having in terms of a Kylo Ren supernatural romance. Let me know what you think! Please be kind, this is my first story!
> 
> This work was inspired by Hell is Empty by RoseFreckles which you can find here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816740 
> 
> Important update: this fic now has smut! I won't write the smut in the fic because I post on wattpad and my family follows me on there, but I do add one shots at the end of some chapters that go with the main fic. So look in endnotes and beginning notes for links to accompanying smut if that's something you want to read:) 
> 
> Moodboard: https://pin.it/73NBVmb

Kylo Ren was a proud man. Or rather, a very proud supernatural being (considering that he was _The Devil)._ So when God, his mother (otherwise called Leia by her closest confidants), caught him being extra naughty in an event he later only referred to in thought as “The Big Oops”, he was punished in the worst way a prideful being can be punished. God trapped him and bound him to a ring, and made it so that whoever was in possession of the ring owned the powerful and mighty Kylo Ren. To add insult to injury, Leia hid the ring on Earth in an attempt to minimize the trouble her son could cause by being someone else’s personal servant. In this way, only very powerful spell and charm casters who were drawn to the ring’s abilities were able to find it and use it for their own misdeeds. 

These people would find the ring, coax Kylo Ren from hiding behind concealment spells (as he was ought to do in an effort to 1) be extra mischievous and 2) avoid having to be _used_ ), and would then proceed to bend him to do their bidding. Or rather, they didn’t have to bend very hard while they wore the ring since Kylo was forced to serve. This didn’t mean that Kylo Ren wouldn’t be the biggest pain in the ass about it if he could help it, though. Sure, he loved to cause pain and misfortune… but on his terms. So while these powerful charm casters were able to coax Kylo Ren out of hiding and use him, Kylo Ren usually put in extra effort to twist their words so that they only got part of what they asked for or even something completely different than what it was they originally wanted.

It was this trickster quality that had landed Kylo Ren in the position he was now. Bound to a ring buried in a dusty old thrift store in Pennsylvania. He had been tied to this particular place for years now - so many that he had lost count (which was saying something for an immortal being). The last person who had tried to use the ring, and therefore Kylo Ren, had been so upset at Kylo’s twisting of his wishes and words that he vowed to hide the ring in a most unassuming of places so that no one could find it and, as he stated it, “Kylo Ren could rot”. He had also gone on to warn the casting community of Kylo Ren’s cheating ways so that this generation of casters was less enthusiastic about hunting down the ring for their desires. 

Now Kylo Ren wandered aimlessly throughout the thrift store (concealed from view of course), unable to use his powers unless the ring was on someone’s finger. And over time, he began to feel quite lonely and frankly, a bit claustrophobic. Upon giving it some thought, as he meandered the racks of the thrift store for the millionth time, he was thankful that his mother hadn’t simply stuffed him in a lamp like a genie and had instead allowed him to be not only bound to whoever had the ring, but also bound to the place where the ring was stashed, giving him some small hold on freedom. As he pondered his existence in the mildew-smelling thrift store, he mulled over what his mother had said before she hid the ring away on Earth. She had stated that when it was time, the “right person” would come along and he could finally be freed. What she meant by that cryptic and rather useless bit of information, he had no idea. Who was the right person? And what would they do differently that would finally get him out of this (and he would know because he’s been there) Hell hole? It was while he was stuck on this train of thought (the one that always ended up haunting him) that he spotted a woman rifling through the jewelry box in which his ring was hidden. 

His curiosity piqued, Kylo Ren strided over to the gaudishly ornate jewelry box to stand behind the young woman who was looking through all of the rings thrown haphazardly into its main compartment. It was not often that people looked through the rings that were in the box, especially since the thrift store itself was not the most frequented of establishments in the first place. To add to that, the jewelry box was tucked away in a corner of the store and held so many mismatched random rings that he doubted anyone who looked through it could even find something of interest if they looked hard enough. It was precisely this hellish reason that the wronged caster had dumped his ring unceremoniously into the bottom of the jewelry boxes’ contents, buried beneath hundreds of other unwanted and discarded rings. 

As he peered over her shoulder, Kylo Ren could see that the woman seemed rather enveloped in her task as she rummaged through the rings, occasionally grabbing one or two that interested her and trying them on. He watched as she looked at each ring in earnest as she tried them on and then, finding them not to her liking, she would throw them back into the jewelry box and continue her search. 

Kylo Ren wondered what would compel this girl, with her mousy brown hair and generally gentle appearance, to come to a thrift store for something like jewelry. In his mind, the only people who went to thrift stores in the first place were foolish young hipsters attempting to reinvent themselves or shed the “chains of modern times” and equally as foolish old ladies who were holding on to the past. The woman in front of him did not seem to fit either description, and instead looked rather average. In fact, he probably wouldn’t have been able to pick her out of a line up if asked to in a few hours time. Given this, Kylo Ren found himself confused when he realized that he wanted this strange, unassuming woman to pick up his ring and take it home. It was as if he were drawn to her in some way that he couldn’t explain. 

Kylo Ren had to stop himself from loudly taking in a breath when the woman finally picked up his ring. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway since he had concealed himself and knew the sound could be excused by the whirring of the air conditioning unit above them, but he was afraid to add sound to what he considered to be a rather tense moment. It was as if he knew that this moment would decide his very future and destiny. Would he be able to finally leave this boring forgotten place or would he be condemned to spend another decade wanting to bang his head into a wall? 

The woman held the ring in her hand as if weighing it, and then put it on her right ring finger. Kylo Ren knew that it would fit her, as the ring changed shape to fit whoever tried it on. The band was silver, engraved with ivy all around, and a small black opal as the main focus. The opal changed colors as she admired her hand, even in the bad lighting of the old thrift store, alluding to its power, beauty, and worth. Kylo Ren felt a weird surge of excitement and pride to see the ring on her small and delicate hand. He hoped that she would feel it too. 

When the woman didn’t take off the band, Kylo silently exhaled the breath he didn’t even realize he had been holding. The girl, apparently satisfied and having made up her mind to purchase his ring, set off towards the front of the thrift store towards the check out area with it still on her hand. He trotted after her as she went over to the cash register to purchase the item from the wizened old man that stood behind the desk. The man at the check out looked at the woman as she gently pried the ring off of her hand and handed it to him across the counter with a quick, “I’d like to purchase this ring, please.” 

Kylo Ren looked on from beside her and quietly savored her voice, sweet like honey and light as a feather. _I could get used to that_ , he thought. He became more and more thrilled at the prospect of leaving this godforsaken place, especially with _her_ . After years of not being able to stretch his legs beyond the confines of the cramped thrift store and years of not being able to wield magic without someone donning the ring (except for simple concealment charms and other “emergency” spells), Kylo Ren was itching to stir up some trouble and have it his way too. He was ready to see what they could cook up, _together_. 

“Sure, let me just ring you up. Will that be all, Ms. …?” the man behind the counter questioned. 

“Rey Dameron. And thank you, yes, that’s it. I’ve had kind of a bad day and found this store as I was trying to walk it off on my way home. I’d like to think of it as my little treat to myself.” she found herself babbling. The old man hmm-ed in response with a light nod, as if to show that he himself had had similar days. 

Still beside his new… master? Owner? He was never sure what to call them - Kylo Ren quietly whispered her name, _Rey Dameron,_ as if attempting to savor the taste of it on his tongue. He then blanched as Rey glanced to her side wearily and then slightly shook her head, almost as if she had heard the disembodied voice but was choosing to ignore it. Kylo Ren cursed in his mind for being so dumb as to speak outloud while concealed and watched as Rey paid the old man, thanked him again, and then took the ring from him. She instantly put it back on her dainty hand and Kylo Ren almost purred with satisfaction. _This is going to be a lot of fun, Rey. Just wait until you realize what you hold in your hands, Little One. The things we could do together are unimaginable._

  
He knew from that point on that he would have a lot of fun with this _Rey Dameron_ , but first he would have to do a bit of snooping and reconnaissance on her. He felt weary at his instant taking - attraction? attachment? possessiveness? - to Rey. Never before had he felt the urge to please someone before or to listen to what others desired, much less someone who looked as unassuming as _his_ Rey. He had never even considered willingly revealing himself to any of his masters before until now. But for some reason she had intrigued him, and in a sense, his ring - tied to his very being as his prison until he was released - had intrigued her, too. Maybe it was because he had been lonely in this damn thrift store for so long (which was already a shocking enough realization to him as he had always lived under the pretense that he didn’t _need_ anybody _or_ their company). Maybe it was because he felt there was something different about her. Either way, Kylo Ren knew he had to make sure she was ready and wanted him, because he could already feel just how much he wanted her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn a little more about Rey and we finally get introduced to the real star, Chewie (her dog). Also Kylo Ren is uncomfortable with all his new ~emotions~ (what's new?).

Rey Dameron had had a horrible day. As the owner of a small local bookstore and café in Philadelphia, this was to be expected. Every customer she served today at the café had been cold and barely gave her a second look, making her feel the way many retail workers did - unappreciated, used, and generally invisible (unless it was to be objectified). It didn’t help that some of the men that came into the store felt entitled to the “pretty ladies attention” and would get their usually stroked fragile egos up in a huff when she didn’t return their unwanted advances. 

Today a rather greasy looking man had ogled her as she handed over his coffee, looking pointedly up and down her torso before licking his lips and stating that, “I could show you a good time darlin’. Just let me know when you get off work and I can take you wherever you want to go.”. It had taken everything in Rey not to roll her eyes before she politely responded, “Thank you, but my boyfriend is picking me up from work.” - knowing full well that her “boyfriend” was nonexistent. However, it was usually an efficient way to get out of sticky situations and Poe (or his boyfriend, Finn) were always more than willing to play the part by standing intimidatingly by her and sending a good glare over when needed. She thanked her lucky stars that the man took the hint from just her words and paid for his drink with a surly, “I’m sure I can give it better than he does”, before exiting without any further conflict. 

Customer service and retail were truly the worst of the worst and she kicked herself in the butt every time she thought about how this had been her dream since she was a little girl. As a young book nerd she hadn’t had set her sights on anything other than owning a small bookstore, and as she grew to be a steadily caffeinated teen she soon realized that the addition of a café to her bookstore dream was only natural. It helped that her brother, Poe, was easygoing and would do anything to help her chase her dreams. After their father had died, leaving them essentially orphans with a small yet substantial inheritance, they had joined together into this business venture:  _ First Order Books and Coffee _ . Her own little slice of Heaven.

_ Or more like my little slice of Hell _ , Rey mused bitterly as she recounted her day. She didn’t mean to sound unappreciative or ungrateful for the store that had brought her so much joy and a steady income. It was just that working and owning a store could definitely be a hassle some days. It wasn’t unusual that some days would pass in which she was harassed or simply ignored throughout the day. That didn’t make it any easier to handle, even as she developed a thicker skin over time. As she left from her shift, handing the reins over to Rose and picking herself up a warm chai latte before heading out the door, Rey thought about what she could do to rid herself of this bad energy. She liked to go on walks and in this fall weather, as the leaves began to turn all of their beautiful autumnal shades, she figured it would be worth a bit of a chill to go wander around Philadelphia. She walked out of the First Order, holding her chai latte tightly in her hands, and began to walk. It didn’t really matter where she went - as long as she was able to enjoy the crisp fall weather and clear her mind.

Rey found herself walking until she got to an old cobblestone dead end road that seemed to draw her in. She had been to Old City Philadelphia before, and was surprised that there was another similarly historic looking street where she had ended up now. Rey liked that Philadelphia had a lot of historic areas, it was part of the charm of the city. She realized she didn’t recognize the area, though, as she looked down the street and her eyes settled on a sign that read: “Resistance Thrifting and Goods Boutique”.  _ A little retail therapy never hurt nobody _ , she thought.  _ Even if it is in this weird little store with a ridiculous mouthful of a name.  _ Rey ditched her empty chai latte cup in the garbage can at the entrance to the dead end street and then set off on her way to the store. 

She entered the musty cramped store with a chime from the door and looked around. The store wasn’t much to look at and she figured it probably didn’t get that many customers. It was completely empty except for an older gentleman at the checkout counter who briefly looked up to nod at her with a small smile and then went back to his crossword puzzle. There seemed to be a light layer of dust on everything, including in the air - she could see the spots dancing around in the dim lighting.  _ Well, if there’s any place to find a hidden gem, this is definitely the spot.  _ With that thought, Rey stepped further into the store and began to peruse. She let her hands lightly touch the clothes on the racks that lined the store as she headed to the back. She didn’t know why, but she felt as if her “hidden gem” would be buried away near the back corner. 

Upon spotting the gaudy and ornate jewelry box filled with rings, Rey knew that she would be walking away with one today. She didn’t normally wear a lot of jewelry, but she was loyal to the few pieces that she did wear - a plain watch, her mother’s bracelet (that she had inherited when she passed years ago) decorated with her October birthstone (an opal), and a simple silver band on her left middle finger. Due to this, she was a little surprised when her gut told her to go to the rings and select one. But, never one to doubt her dependable gut, Rey put her confidence in whatever her subconscious was trying to tell her and trusted that indulging in a new piece of adornment would appease her as a treat for her horrible day and subsequent bad mood. 

As she rifled through the contents of the jewelry box, Rey had the odd suspicion that someone was watching her, but dismissed it as she knew from her first glance around that the store was empty aside from the clerk. She tried on several pieces and turned her hand this way and that way to better gauge her feelings for them. None of them  _ felt _ right so she threw them back in before she pulled out a beautiful silver ring. The ring was decorated with engraved ivy swirling around the band that came together to the centerpiece - a black opal.  _ Beautiful _ , Rey mused as she put it on her right ring finger. She felt her lips stretching into a smile as she admired the ring that fit perfectly on her delicate hand.  _ What are the odds?  _

The perfect fit and her slowly brightening mood were all the further convincing she needed to know that this was the ring for her.  _ Who says money can’t buy (momentary) happiness?  _ She thought as she walked towards the old man and the counter, ring still on her finger. Rey took the ring off, made small talk with the man (revealing more about her desperate need for retail therapy than she intended to in her excited state), paid and then walked out the door with the ring back on her hand. Who knows, maybe when she got home she might take a bath and relax. It had just been  _ that _ type of day. 

***

Rey walked the rest of the way home with a smile. She texted Poe a quick -  **are we still on for dinner? -** before stepping into her apartment. Rey was instantly attacked by an overly excited Chewbacca (affectionately known as Chewie), her brown Australian Cattle Dog mix. He barked and looked at her with adoration as he stood on his hind legs to greet her, licking her hands as she attempted to lightly push the medium-sized menace off of her so she could get fully in the apartment and close the door. Rey looked at the dog and said, in her best dog mom cooing, “Do you want to see what mommy bought? Mommy had a bad bad day today, Chewie. She needed her retail therapy, didn’t she? Look at what she bought.” 

Chewie, obviously not giving a damn about whatever his mom had bought, turned in a circle before giving more attention to her shoes as Rey slipped them off than the hand she was holding up for him to admire. “Typical. When it’s something for me you don’t care unless there’s something in it for you. You’re such a bad son”, she chastised the dog with a pat on his head before taking off her layers and settling into the apartment. It was a small one bedroom with an open concept kitchen and living room floor plan, and a decent sized bathroom. It had a tub that was big enough to soak in, was walking distance from the First Order and Poe, and had heating and air conditioning. So really, it was all she wanted. She had even installed a rain shower showerhead when she signed the two year lease, knowing that indulging in such a luxury was never  _ not _ going to be rewarding for her. What could she say? She really lived the “treat yourself” mantra. 

Rey looked around her apartment, decorated in dusk rose, gray, navy, and black tones. The place was livened up by several pieces of art on the walls and plants  _ everywhere _ . Rey was a millennial and her house surely showed it. She supported local businesses and artists, and took pride in adding art pieces to her collection whose creators’ she knew personally. Poe’s boyfriend also conveniently worked at a local greenhouse and nursery and had slowly but surely helped feed her growing addiction to plants of all kinds. Her current pride and joy was a luscious looking monstera that took up a whole corner of her apartment. She felt content as she breathed in - bad mood almost evaporated - and lit a fall-scented candle before she sat on her couch. She looked at her phone to find a text from Poe:  **yeah, does 7:30 pm still work for you? I was thinking Finn and I bring wine and we can watch a romcom movie after?**

Rey texted back a quick **, sounds perfect** , before checking the time. It was only 5:00 pm. She had spent most of her afternoon after her 7:00 am - 2:00 pm shift ended walking to, around, and in the thrift store. She had time for a nice bath and some further relaxation before starting on dinner. It wasn’t like Finn and Poe expected anything fancy for dinner anyway. They usually had dinner together on at least one weekday, and being that it was Friday and they were hoping to get a little wine drunk before heading into the weekend, Rey knew that her frozen ravioli dinner wouldn’t raise any complaints. She also had pizza as a back-up plan if their late night wine drinking became a little rowdy. Poe could definitely get a little messy when wine was involved, and honestly, so could she. Smiling as she admired her new ring again, Rey peeled herself off the couch, fed Chewie, and went to her bedroom to get ready for her relaxing bath. 

***

Kylo Ren didn’t know what to think of this  _ Rey Dameron _ and he certainly didn’t know what to think of where he had ended up. As someone who had been stuck in a dusty old thrift store for the better part of several decades now, he had seen little of the outside world for some time. He knew only what came into the shop - those old ladies and those wannabe hipsters. Rey was definitely neither. 

Her apartment was small but intimate, covered in plants and smelling of cinnamon, pumpkin, and nutmeg. It was almost…  _ comfortable?  _ When was the last time Kylo Ren had felt  _ comforted _ ? He sighed softly as he looked over at the creature that was now eating from the floor, thankful that his concealment charm worked against all of God’s creatures. Chewie was a dog, no doubt. He wasn’t that out of touch with reality from his forced isolation (though certain things such as the personal communication device Rey had used earlier were still foreign to him). But, this was a dog that was clearly cared for by a crazy dog person. Kylo Ren had had to use every ounce of restraint in his body not to laugh as Rey talked to her dog (Chewie?) about her new purchase today. While he felt what could only be thought of as second hand embarrassment at the interaction, he was pleased that the bad day Rey had spoken of to the thrift store clerk seemed to be wearing off and had begun to be replaced by a more joyful one. As he thought this Kylo Ren found himself shaking his head.  _ What are you doing? Why do you care?  _

As he had followed Rey to her apartment and stepped inside, he had felt more of that curiosity bubbling towards her. He wanted to know all about her and he didn’t know  _ why _ . This new feeling was unprecedented. He knew it was probably because anyone who had owned his ring before had been truly awful people who didn’t deserve, in his opinion, a second thought or a second glance, and here was  _ Rey _ and she deserved  _ more _ than just a passing thought. Kylo was excited about the prospect of using his magic to actually  _ help  _ Rey. Hell, he might even  _ actually _ listen to whatever requests she makes of him instead of just twisting her words for his wicked fun. Maybe if he did that then Rey wouldn’t want to toss the ring once she figured out what it was. 

Kylo shook his head again as if to rid himself of these weird  _ emotions  _ he had begun to wrestle with as soon as Rey had chosen him (or rather, the ring… but a guy - or demon - could dream right?), and took a deep breath. He inhaled the warm scent from the candle and looked around again when he heard a door open. 

Rey had disappeared into a room a few minutes ago and was now emerging, covered only in a soft looking robe. Kylo felt his heartbeat quicken and his face warm. She looked so comfortable. Just like her home. He wondered if her skin was soft. He wondered what she smelled like. 

His eyes followed Rey as she stepped into the bathroom and he bridged the gap between them in a few strides. She had started to run the water and threw in some salts and what looked like an orange ball. The ball fell into the water and began to instantly fizzle and cover the surface with bubbles. He wondered what kind of human magic had been used to make such a weird object. Kylo could smell that the fizzy ball had a scent similar to the candle Rey had lit outside in the living room by the couch. He smiled pleasantly. It really was a nice and  _ comforting _ smell. He could get used to this. 

Kylo’s eyes then widened as he saw that Rey had begun to take off her robe. He quickly looked at the ceiling and swallowed thickly. For someone who didn’t give a damn about many things, he all of a sudden felt the need to _respect_ _Rey’s space_. He wasn’t just some creeper. Sure, he was the devil but he also had manners. Leia had at least instilled as much in him, even though he was the king of temptation. And contrary to popular belief in the human world, as the devil Kylo was mostly a keeper of misbehaving souls and a general source of wicked fun and trickery (or at least when he had had freedom he had allowed himself to have his fun). He wasn’t a truly terrible person or the evil dark thing that humans made him out to be. I mean sure, he _was_ generally rooted in the dark but he was also (maybe?) a decent guy sometimes. Key word being _sometimes._

With that train of thought, Kylo turned around, eyes still glued to the ceiling, and walked out of the bathroom, holding on to as much restraint as his gentlemanly self could grab. He heard Rey begin to hum to some music she had begun to play as he sprawled out on the couch. One day he would take her in, all of her. He would be able to breathe in her scent, caress her soft skin, and look upon her body without a care. Until that day came, he would be respectful (or as much as the devil could be expected to be) because when he looked at her, all of her, he wanted her to  _ know _ . And he wanted her to know who it was that the devil wanted to  _ serve, please, and worship _ . 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey gets a little wine drunk and a little lonely and Kylo can't wait for the chance to cure that aching bleeding heart of hers. 
> 
> A little angst and a little soft Kylo to cure your Sunday scaries ;)

Kylo Ren watched with interest from his seat on the couch as Rey opened the door to the two men who had rung the doorbell. Kylo briefly bristled with an unknown feeling (jealousy?) before he realized that the two men were quite obviously together romantically. One of the men had wavy brown hair, tan skin, and a friendly warmth behind his eyes. He was every bit as excited as his counterpart, a dark skinned man with a smile that lit up his face. The tan man with wavy hair let go of the other man’s hand before handing Rey a wine bag with several bottles. “ _ Four _ bottles?! Poe Dameron, you are trying to get us really drunk tonight, aren’t you?” Rey reprimanded with obvious mirth behind her eyes. 

Rey took the wine bag and set it on her kitchen counter as Poe answered, “Hey! It’s a  _ Friday _ . And besides, you don’t work until later on Saturday and you know we need our wine when we watch a good romcom. It’s an absolute must.”. 

“True. I don’t think I could handle all of the ridiculous teen romance anymore without a good drinking game. It’s crazy how ridiculously addictive that genre is, though.” Finn added. Rey laughed and nodded as she waved them over to the table that was already set and had a pan in the middle with the frozen ravioli turned into a full meal thanks to the addition of some sauce, vegetables, and ground sausage. 

“It’s almost sinful but it’s a sin I partake in eagerly.” Rey said as she sat down. Kylo Ren beamed at her from his position on the couch, knowing full well that no one could see him. He was interested in whatever these “romcoms” were. The movie genre clearly made all three of them giddy and the energy was infectious. He hoped that he would enjoy this as much as they would. He figured that if the movie wasn’t entertaining, their wine drunken state surely would be. Kylo Ren knew the power of alcohol, especially sweet cheap alcohol like what Poe and his partner had brought, and he nestled himself further into the couch to enjoy the show. 

***

As the dinner went on Kylo Ren learned a couple of things from the trio seated before him. Finn was the name of the other mysterious man, and he lived and was romantically engaged with Poe, who was Rey’s brother. This confirmation that Finn and Poe were, in fact, together and not even remotely interested in Rey made Kylo Ren’s mood elevate that much higher (even though he couldn’t help still feeling jealous that they could touch Rey or make her laugh like that). He also learned that Rey and Poe owned a bookstore / café that they called the First Order _. _

His mood then dipped as he listened to Rey recount what caused her day to turn so sour yesterday. He fantasized about what he would have done to that  _ sleazeball  _ if he had been there. He would probably whisper some things in his ear and cause some mischief. Playing with people’s thoughts was one of his favorite powers. Kylo was snapped out of his wicked daydreaming as Rey let out a hearty laugh and he chose to focus instead on the merriment ahead of him. He was already having fun watching them enjoy themselves, especially Rey. 

Kylo Ren could not remember a time he felt this genuinely  _ happy _ . Sure, he didn’t  _ completely _ mind when he had been enslaved to others through the ring. He was the king of mischief and he loved to toy with the desires of those who wielded his power through the silver band. Plus, he had the added freedom of being able to travel around a bit when he was bonded to someone through the ring. As long as he didn’t stray too far, he found he could usually inhabit wherever the person was and also places they dwelled in or frequented. This allowed him far more travel options than when the ring wasn’t worn and he was stuck to a small radius of space because he wasn’t attached to anyone and their energy. Either way, even if he strayed, he always had to come back and do his master’s bidding if he was called or if he sensed they had a deep desire or want. All his old masters had not allowed him to stray far before anyway, though Kylo Ren knew he had some freedom with Rey before she realized what her ring was and could know to call on him for her wishes. 

He thought again of how he looked forward to when he would reveal himself and when Rey would begin to request for him and of him. Before he had always taken more joy from twisting his masters’ words and foiling their plans (while still doing enough damage to have fun and maintain his reputation) than anything else. However, Kylo Ren already knew that Rey would have him bent around her little finger (literally). As he watched on he felt more and more in his heart that he was looking forward to raising some trouble with this Rey Dameron.  _ But how to reveal myself and when? _

Kylo’s attention was once more brought out from his daydream to the trio when he realized they had finished their meal and were making their way over to the L-shaped couch. Kylo stood up to allow them to settle into their seats as he noticed the two empty wine bottles on the table and the glasses and two other bottles in their hands as they took their seats.  _ Clearly the night is heading in a good direction.  _

Poe and Finn sprawled out on the chaise section of the couch and Rey took the sofa section after dimming some lights and turning others off. She had positioned herself up into the corner as if to make herself as small as possible, and pushed a decorative pillow into the arm as she curled up around it. She pulled a large throw that was draped over the back of the sofa and tucked herself in. Kylo Ren took in the sight.  _ Looks just like a little kitten. My soft little kitten.  _ He took the space inbetween where Poe and Finn laid with Finn spooning Poe, and between where his little kitten had snuggled up. Oh, how he wished to be able to grab her into his lap and tuck her into his warm body. He wondered if he could make her purr. 

Rey turned on the large device in front of them and it flickered to life. It had been some time since Kylo Ren had seen a television, and he vaguely remembered many of them being in black and white the last time he had encountered one (and definitely not common enough to be a regular household item - especially in the more rural area his last master had occupied). 

He reflected on how much technology has advanced since his stint in the thrift store. He would have to take time to learn all of these new things - good thing he was a good learner and had his magic on his side. Kylo had also seen Rey briefly use what looked to be like a small personal computer - so compact that it fit on her desk and was surprisingly thin. He had marveled at the size of it - remembering when they weren’t as slim and seemed to be accompanied by horrid noises when they started up. Maybe he would summon himself one of those messaging devices and a computer soon and start his catching up there. 

This particular piece of technology was vividly flashing with color as Rey scrolled through some options before settling on one titled, “He’s Just Not That Into You _ ”. _ From reading the summary, Kylo Ren realized that this romcom genre was “romantic comedy” and he sunk into the couch feeling a little deflated. He would do almost anything to make Rey happy at this point (which in itself was already making him weary) and to watch her enjoy herself, but this was definitely a fine line.  _ This is the genre you and your friends enjoy? A romantic comedy? You better love this, Little One.  _

Kylo closed his eyes and silently let out a deep exhale once the movie started playing and he knew the noise would cover his defeated sigh. He opened them again and began to watch the movie, trying his hardest to attempt to relate or understand something his Rey clearly enjoyed, all the while knowing that the small curled up ball next to him would probably be a big distraction in his quest. 

***

The second Rey put on “He’s Just Not That Into You _ ”,  _ Poe knew exactly where this night was going to go. He knew that Rey had been feeling lonely lately, especially when he and Finn had moved in together earlier this year. And the fact that she had put on her favorite romcom to cry to meant that she was feeling  _ extra _ lonely. Maybe he would suggest to Rose that she breach the subject of online dating and apps again with her. Rose was Rey’s best friend and he knew they were going out tomorrow night. If anyone could convince Rey to tackle the online dating world, it would be Rose. Poe feared that considering Rey didn’t go out all that much without them (and they didn’t frequent  _ that _ many places or even go out all that much), without an online dating presence her fishing pool for a future partner would be greatly reduced.

Poe knew that Rey deserved someone who would take care of her and protect her, someone to make her laugh and someone she could start a life with. He knew she was happy for now with her two babies, Chewie and the First Order (oh, and all her plants, of course), but also was privy to the fact that Rey had always wanted to start a family of her own and as time passed on the need only intensified (Rey was now 25). Sure, that didn’t have to happen any time soon but Poe wasn’t oblivious to the fact that his sister wasn’t above settling (or at least what he would consider outright settling and she would consider “lowering her standards to fit her current needs”) if it meant she could have a family, and that would break his heart and eventually break hers. 

As if on cue, Rey let out a long sigh from the other end of the couch as Alex confessed his love to Gigi in a particularly dramatic fashion. “You okay there, Rey?” Poe gently pried, giving Rey an out to rant her feelings. 

“Ugh, yes. It’s just… how are they so perfect? I know they had a rough start but the whole thing is so… so…  _ romantic.  _ I mean, obviously, because romcom, duh. But also - where is my Alex? Who’s gonna come sweep me off my feet?” Rey began to unload, adding in a whisper, “Who would want an old future spinster like me?” 

Poe took a deep breath and looked behind him at the now sleeping Finn (wine always knocked the boy out). He stilled himself and thought about how he would comfort his wine drunk sister before she continued to spiral. He didn’t want the night to turn into a total sob fest. No men were worth Rey’s tears. “Rey. You know that one day you’re going to find the man of your dreams and he’s going to be your perfect partner. Sometimes it just takes time, but also the wait is going to make it so worth it when you find your man.” he finally said, attempting to console Rey while also painfully aware of how cliche everything he said was. 

He knew his carefully selected words were falling on deaf ears when Rey let out a huff and responded, “Easy for you to say. You found Finn the second you left college and you’ve been together for years. Hell, you’ve even moved in together recently! And I  _ know _ you’ve talked about spending the rest of your lives together.” Her sorrowful protests turned into whispers near the end, as she grew mindful of the sleeping Finn even in her alcohol addled state. “I just want what you have, but like… my own.” 

Poe knew that Rey wasn’t one for self pity and drowning in her misery, but he also knew that sometimes the best thing was to let her rant without interruption. So he did just that. Rey continued to drink her wine and lament what she labeled her “striking single-ness” and “abysmal dating life” as Poe listened like the dutiful brother he was, adding “mhms” and “yeahs” where needed. He could tell Rey had been holding this up for a while and had been ready to burst. Poe was just glad he could offer what minimal support he could through his presence and threw out into the world a plea for his sister’s partner to hurry the fuck up. 

***

Kylo Ren listened to all of Rey’s heartaches with an ever deepening frown on his face. He hated to see her so unhappy. She was visibly upset, having taken over the conversation with her brother completely as she mumbled through her woes. 

Kylo Ren could sympathize. Even though he was the devil and the human world painted him as a player womanizer, he had never been with anyone or been in a relationship. He had just never found anyone tempting or interesting enough or anyone who could compare with the thrill of good old fashioned pranks and misconduct. And so in the end he had remained alone by choice and, after his punishment, by force. He had never had too much of a problem with this before (except during the last few years in the thrift store where he began to feel socially isolated for the first time in his life) and had felt decently content as he settled into that solitary lifestyle. 

He had never even befriended many beings or demons while he had been free, choosing to remain close to his sister Lilith instead as his one true friend, who had taken over his job as keeper of unfortunate souls while he endured his punishment. Kylo reflected on his “friendship” with his sister and realized he had never even felt as strongly and  _ emotionally _ towards her as he had towards Rey, and Lilith was his sister _ , his blood.  _

And now here he was, wanting to reach out and soothe the woman next to him, to take her into his arms and run one hand through her hair while the other, he imagined, would rub small circles on her back. Kylo Ren was secretly glad that even though he could tell she had fought back tears several times throughout her rant, that she hadn’t shed any of them. He was pretty sure his heart might actually break if he saw her cry. 

While Kylo resisted his urges to tackle Rey into a warm embrace (touching her would break the concealment spell he had casted as she would feel him which would give him away) he secretly vowed to watch more of these “romcoms” and to figure out how to “sweep her off her feet”. As he pondered how to woo his Rey, he vaguely observed as the night approached a close near midnight and Rey ushered a sleepy Finn and a now sober Poe out the door with pleas that they message her when they arrived home safely. He was deep in thought as to how he would become the “Alex” that Rey wanted from the movie as he watched her tidy up the house before she retreated into her bedroom. Rey came out again to use the bathroom before she finally retired for the night, closing the door and turning off the lights. Kylo wished he could go lay next to her and even considered it for a moment before he turned his thoughts back to how he would spend his day tomorrow doing some “research”. He would need to 1)  _ up _ his game and 2)  _ speed _ up his game if he wanted to successfully win over his Rey. 

***

Rey woke up late the next morning with the knowledge that she didn’t have to be at work until noon and knowing full well that she would be nursing a slight wine hangover before heading out. She took a cold shower to try to clear her head and nursed a cup of coffee as she sat at her table and looked out the window. She didn’t have much in terms of a view but she did enjoy looking out at what few trees peeked out at her. The fall colors were in full swing as it was already October and Rey felt at peace as she took in the sight and contemplated silently on the previous night. Last night had been a much needed venting session and she was thankful to Poe for taking it like a champ. 

Rose was usually the person she turned to for her self-pity and wallowing talks, as she considered this more “girl talk” territory, but the wine and the movie and the mood had been set just right yesterday and she had found she couldn’t contain herself. She would probably broach the subject again for her girl’s night with Rose but was glad that she wouldn’t have nearly as much of a mental breakdown in public about it after having released much of her built up frustration on Poe the other night. She quietly wondered if Rose would try to push dating apps and websites on her again. 

Rey knew that Rose was having fun entertaining herself on those platforms but she had always felt so weird and impersonal starting conversations with strangers online. Maybe it was time, though. The times were changing and Rey was falling behind. In this respect she was not being a very good millennial, and she knew that her reluctance to join the online dating world was probably hindering her at this point in her life.  _ But was a girl really to blame if a life full of romcoms and bad television had ruined something as impersonal as online dating for her? Was it so bad to want that perfect “meet-cute”?  _

As she meditated on this, Rey pushed herself off from her dining table and walked over to put food in Chewie’s bowl. He was laying in a patch of sun by her plants, completely content to live his solitary lifestyle as long as he had Rey’s love and attention (and maybe sometimes her friends’). Rey envied Chewie sometimes. His life was so simple and he was always eager to please and easily satisfied. Rey had occasionally considered getting another pet to satisfy her need to mother and take her of something, as well as to give Chewie someone to hang out with while she was at work. But in the end Finn had tempted her with the ways of botany and beautiful plants and she had settled for dozens of those instead. Rey knew Chewie wouldn’t mind anyway. 

Rey finished up fixing Chewie’s food and then went on to get ready for her day. Her shift wasn’t too long today as she only worked from noon to five, and she knew the day would pass by quickly as she looked forward to her girls night with Rose. Since yesterday had turned into an emotional rant kind of night, she was hoping today would be more about letting loose with her best friend and maybe, just maybe joining the online dating world. 

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some puppy loving and some tipsy profile making! In this chapter, Kylo meets Chewie and does some "research". Meanwhile, Rey finally makes an online dating profile ;)

After a restless night on the couch, Kylo watched with sleepy hooded eyes from his reclined position as Rey looked out her window and drank her coffee. He wondered how someone could look so pretty while also nursing a hangover. Rey sat at her dining table that was awash with the afternoon light. Her eyes looked soft and warm, like pools of melted chocolate with flecks of honey and green. Rey’s lips were pressed in a hard line, a striking contrast to her inviting eyes, as she mulled over her thoughts. Kylo knew that he could use his powers to see into her mind (now that he was bonded through the ring again he had full use of his magic) and figure out what she was thinking about, but he had a good guess that it was about last night’s events. 

_ You shouldn’t worry. I’ll come for you soon enough, Little One.  _ He thought fondly, wishing the time was right  _ now _ . He  _ could _ introduce himself out of the blue to her... show up at the First Order under the pretense of being an unassuming and normal customer.  _ Except I don’t want to be another creep that hits on her at her job. I’m definitely out of practice - as if you could even say I have any game at all - and who knows what I sound like when I actually try to “flirt”.  _

Kylo knew he had to set everything up perfectly. Not only did he want to ( _ need to _ ) win her over, but he had to win over her trust. She would eventually find out about their bond through the ring - Kylo knew he wouldn’t want to hide such a big thing from her, especially when he could make so many of her desires and wishes come true. And when that bomb dropped he wanted to make sure she didn’t get scared and throw the ring into the Atlantic Ocean. Kylo smirked at the image of spending the rest of his punishment swimming and splashing around until either someone found the ring on shore or scuba diving, or his mom took pity on him. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. He would have to make sure of it. 

He continued to silently wait and watch as Rey gathered her things, fed her dog, and went to her room to get ready. He had overheard that she would be working today so Kylo was excited to take this time away from her to do his research through some movies and figuring out all this new technology to further his reconnaissance. He would also take this time to summon over some food and feed himself. Now that he was bound again to a human he was beginning to feel hungry once more. Kylo was thankful that during the time that the ring wasn’t worn that he was at least spared from needs such as hunger or thirst, but he did miss eating good food and indulging, and his stomach was dangerously close to giving him away if he didn’t eat a meal soon. Kylo day dreamed about his first meal after so much time without food, sucked deep into his food fantasy before snapping out of it and catching sight of a hurried Rey that was all dressed and rushing out the door with a quick kiss she blew to Chewie. Kylo pretended to catch it from across the room and then finally allowed himself to break the concealment charm when some time had passed since her exit.  _ Time to get to work.  _

***

The second the concealment charm was broken, Chewie rushed over to Kylo, sensing a foreign presence in his home. Kylo stood up quickly from where he was laying on the couch, attempting to subdue the creature’s loving attack by holding his arms up and away from his body, lightly shoving the dog with the aim to block the dog from jumping on him. Chewie redoubled his naughty intentions as Kylo resisted, licking Kylo’s hands and clawing at Kylo’s thighs. Chewie’s medium size barely reached his waist, but that didn’t stop the energetic beast from bouncing up and down in an effort to take on Kylo’s hulking frame and defeat his target with all the playfulness of a young adoring pup. Kylo sighed and did his best to scoop the wriggling 50 pound creature into his arms as an attempt to subdue him. It worked...  _ enough. _

With the squirming creature somewhat contained in Kylo’s strong embrace, Kylo sat back on the couch. His food fantasies had led him to crave a large bowl of cereal and a medium rare cheeseburger, so he summoned them in front of him, causing Chewie to whimper and attempt to inch forward towards the unconventionally paired foods. Kylo pulled the dog back from the temptation and sat him firmly on his lap, rigidly pinning Chewie to the side of his chest as he picked up the burger with his other hand and took a bite, making sure to eat the burger as far away from the salivating pooch’s mouth as possible. Kylo almost let out a moan as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.  _ Damn, I missed this. I can’t believe I’ve been denied this for so long. Well, no more denying myself these wants. No more denying myself delicious food and, soon, no more denying myself some delicious company.  _

As he finished his food (not without some further struggling from a very determined Chewie), Kylo waved his hands and banished the remains of his feast from view. The alluring meal now gone, Kylo released the beast from his hold. He hoped that Chewie would be more relaxed after having spent quite some time battling Kylo for dominance, but his hopes were dashed when Chewie continued to bounce around Kylo, licking and nuzzling and letting out some small yelps. Kylo sank into the couch in defeat, allowing the stubborn animal to cuddle up to his side, wondering why it was that Chewie was so hyper and needy with him when he had seemed so calm around Finn and Poe yesterday. 

“Maybe it’s because you’ve never seen me before? Am I exciting to you, Mr. Chewie Dameron? Will your mother be as excited when she meets me?” Kylo mused out loud, smiling at the fact that he had begun to talk to Chewie in the same high sing song voice that Rey had used the other day. Maybe Kylo would turn into a big dog lover after all. He had never been too interested in animals, but this cuddly creature was slowly worming his way into the devil’s heart. After all, he was sure that he’d be unable to keep himself from at least liking anything that Rey loved. Kylo grinned down at the furry ball of warmth that had finally settled, laying pressed right up against Kylo’s thighs with his head on top of them and his eyes glued to Kylo’s face. 

“Okay, let’s start with a movie and then we can try to figure out other technology.” Kylo grabbed the remote and pressed what he assumed the power button was. There were so many buttons on the control that Kylo felt anxious just looking at it. Thankfully the television turned on, revealing a home screen that listed different genres. Kylo used the up and down arrows to navigate to the “romantic comedy” section. Several title names flashed before him as he scrolled through the list:  _ The Kissing Booth, Breakfast Club, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Love Actually…  _ Kylo felt overwhelmed with the choices so he closed his eyes, pressed the right arrow, and counted to five. When he reached five he let go of the arrow and opened his eyes to the movie it had settled on.  _ Guess we’re watching “You’ve Got Mail”. _

_ ***  _

_ Okay… that wasn’t… the  _ worst _.  _ Kylo chewed over what he had learned from the movie last night and the feature he had just finished. “It seems like you kind of have to be a sweet asshole. Sweet to your girl and indifferent to the world… is that what women want? I couldn’t be bothered with other people - unless Rey wanted me to be bothered with them. Does that fit the bill? Have I made it?” Kylo talked out loud to the dog that had fallen asleep on his lap, snoring lightly and drooling a little on Kylo’s pants. “Just like your mother said. Absolutely useless unless there’s something in it for you. Truly despicable behavior you slobbery demon.”

From what Kylo had learned it seemed that women swooned over men who went after what they wanted, paid attention to them, treated them well, and made them laugh. Easier said than done. Kylo was probably charming  _ enough _ given that he  _ was _ the devil. Except he hadn’t socialized with anyone in years and he figured his social skills were probably a little rusty.  _ What if what was charming twenty years ago was gross and outdated now? Do people still use words like gnarly? Probably not.  _

Kylo figured it was time to continue his research and take a more active role in his learning other than just sitting back and watching movies or observing Rey. He waved his hand and a new personal computer and messaging device ( _ cell phone _ , Poe had said the other day) appeared on the coffee table in front of the couch. Kylo powered on the device and dived right in. 

By the time he heard Rey walking up to the door, Kylo had read news and entertainment articles, online books, and research journals on topics such as dating for young adults ( _ millennials _ was the term used nowadays for this generation), how to properly pursue women, and how to flirt your way to “a new bae”. He had also caught up on some news, modern literature, and general cultural information. Using the same powers he had used to allow himself to speed read through vast amounts of information and catch up on all he had lost out on while bound to that lifeless antiquated thrift store, he quickly concealed everything from view, including himself before Rey could spot him. 

Sensing the wave of magic and seemingly stunned at the disappearance of his new friend, Chewie stirred from where he had lain and stood up, circling the spot Kylo had previously been in. Kylo had moved off to the corner of the room to stash the computer and cell phone under a basket of blankets there where he knew Rey wouldn’t bump into it and wonder what the invisible objects she could obviously feel were. Satisfied that no one would find his secret stockpile, Kylo moved his gaze over to the door, excited to see his Rey after a long day of investigating and learning. 

***

Rey’s day had gone by fairly quickly - so much so that she was almost surprised when it was time to finish up her shift at the First Order. She was ready to get home and more than eager for her girls night out with Rose. They always ended up having a great time and Rey needed to let off some steam. The week had been long but finding her new ring and looking forward to tonight were more than enough to make up for it. The ring on her finger already felt at home on her hand and she was excited to show Rose.  _ Maybe it’ll be my lucky charm. Maybe it’ll help me find a man before I sell my soul to online dating.  _

Glancing at her watch and seeing that it was almost 5:30 pm, she shot off a quick text to Rose confirming her pick up time at 8:00 pm before she headed off to the shower to begin getting ready. 

***

Rose Tico was ready to show Rey the dark side (aka, online dating). It wasn’t the most romantic world to inhabit, but it was a good time and Rey needed a  _ good time _ . And, hey, maybe that would eventually lead to something a little serious. Rose knew her best friend in the whole world had already fought against her attempts, but Rey needed to  _ let go.  _ She was too serious, too hung up on a perfect relationship.  _ She has to let the man come to her! And maybe have some innocent (or not so innocent) merry romps along the road. She’ll eventually find somebody but she can’t find anybody if she isn’t even putting herself out there!!  _

Rose huffed at her thoughts, already determined with where the night was going to go with her bestie -  _ whether you want it or not, Rey Dameron you are going to have some fun dammit.  _ Rose knocked on the door and got ready to take her stubborn, beautiful, silly friend out. 

***

Kylo Ren looked over with amusement at the small bubbly girl who was at the door greeting Rey. She seemed so small, smaller in height than Rey, but also seemed so big - as if her body could barely contain all of her energy. He didn’t need to watch for long to realize that her personality was over the top, spilling over into all the corners and spaces of the room. It was infectious. Kylo was glad that Rey had someone like her for a friend. Rey seemed more reserved and serious - easy to smile while around friends but more shy around strangers, someone you had to work hard to get to know but who was worth it in the end. This new acquaintance was much the opposite in terms of personality. Kylo was looking forward to tagging silently behind them for their “girls night” (he had overheard Rey talking to Chewie all about her excitement for the big night out with this Rose person). He was sure there would be more drunken enjoyment, and seemed to sense that this night would end on a much happier note than the one before. 

Kylo waited patiently as the girls caught up then followed them out the door. They didn’t take a car, probably a good idea if they planned to drink. Kylo knew it wasn’t going to hinder their night out considering that Philly had a decent and far enough reaching transportation system ( _ except for the delays _ , he had read online earlier today while acquainting himself with the area), and he was glad that they were being safe. Worst comes to worst Kylo could always step in at the last minute but he preferred not to have to reveal himself until he had his plan all set and had put the gears in motion. He stuck close enough to keep them in hearing range as they traveled to their destination, listening in as Rose filled Rey in on all of her recent adventures. 

Rose was enjoying her new job as an engineer at Skywalker Industries, feeling affirmed that her ideas were finally being listened to and implemented after leaving the last place she worked for, the Exegol Engineering Company, which had not seemed to appreciate her nearly as much. She was also beginning to see some people she met on “Bumble and other dating apps” and was “playing the field”. Kylo had a vague idea as to what that meant, but felt sure he would find out more later when Rose not so subtly hinted that the night would end in her and Rey making Rey a “profile”. 

As they approached their journey’s end and walked into a dimly lit trendy bar ( _ Lando’s Cantina _ ), Kylo felt some of his possessiveness over Rey swell as he chewed on the idea of her using some sort of dating application. He wasn’t totally sure as to what “Bumble and other dating apps” even entailed but he wasn’t an idiot and Kylo knew that the end goal would be for Rey to find a partner. Problem was, she had already found a partner: him. She just didn’t know it yet. Perhaps he would have to join Rey on this online dating journey, and -  _ what was it Rose had called it? _ \- match with her. If things got out of hand and Rey started talking to other men online, Kylo would have no choice. He would have to embrace this odd millennial dating world to pursue and win over  _ his _ Rey. 

***

Rose and Rey walked into their favorite bar full of friendly cheer and walked out several hours later delightfully warm (inside and out) and just  _ a little _ more tipsy than originally planned. It was a good thing they had opted to take the public transportation system instead of driving, thankful for their foresight to know themselves enough to know they always got carried away with each other. 

While the weather outside was chilly, Rey felt herself starting to sweat underneath her several layers. Despite her raised body heat, Rey grabbed onto Rose’s arm as they made their way to her house. She felt giddy from the night out, but now that they were on their way home she felt just the slightest bit panicked and nervous. Rose had insisted that they end the night with her making the  _ perfect _ online dating profile so that the “men would come a’knockin’ down the door for yo fine ass”. 

Rey was apprehensive because she wasn’t all that great at handling rejection -  _ I mean, who is?  _ \- and online dating was all about split second decisions and face value judgements. Not exactly the most romantic and definitely not what Rey was used to (not that she was used to much).  _ But hadn’t Rose said it was all about having fun? Maybe I need to chill and just have a good time - see what comes of it. After all, Rose and I have both agreed that this new ring could be my good luck charm. There’s just  _ something _ about it. Hopefully it’ll deliver.  _

***

A few glasses of wine in and Rose and Rey were huddled together on the couch with Rey’s laptop, cackling like mad witches as they configured Rey’s dating profile. 

“It needs to be playful - _loose._ Subtly inappropriate with a touch of naughty. Maybe hint that bananas are your favorite fruit or that you take your daily yoga and _stretching_ _very seriously_. Everyone loves a limber woman.” Rose teased with a wink. 

Rey looked over at her best friend with a mock horrified look on her face and responded, “Rose Tico, I will do no such thing. This is going to be a simple profile. I’m not trying to attract pscyhos!” 

They went on in this way for a while, each throwing out suggestions as they compromised on what the profile would say. It then took them a bag of popcorn and half a bottle of wine later to settle on what photos they would add to the profile, seemingly going through both of their phones’ endless gallery of photos to find the right ones. 

Kylo had never been so confused in his life. He didn’t understand the amount of effort going into this project.  _ Anyone who doesn’t want to date you is a fool. Why go through all this trouble? Why is there so much thought going into such a silly thing? You shouldn’t even have to worry. If you had just waited a few more days then I’d have popped up and saved you from having to do this ridiculous thing anyway.  _

Nonetheless, Kylo made sure to take plenty of mental notes for when he would undoubtedly create his own profile later (with much less effort on his part). He was hoping one good “selfie” (as Rose had called it) and a short blurb about himself would be enough to at least garner a match from Rey. He didn’t even know what else he would put on his profile. Kylo shook off his worries, seeking comfort in the idea that all of his research so far had pointed towards a simple and direct man, and what was more simple or direct than a short and to the point profile? He could worry about being fancy and creative when he actually started talking to Rey. But that was a concern for a later time.

***

Before Rose left she made sure to go over some online dating basics with Rey - you could never be too safe after all - and excitedly watched as Rey swiped through her first couple of people. Satisfied that Rey was well on her way to rounding up matches and that she had hyped up her best friend enough to ensure she’d be more confident in messaging anyone back if she got any hits, Rose made her way out the door with a tight hug for Rey and a loving pat for Chewie. 

After an eventful night, Rey was more than ready to collapse on to her bed. She felt fulfilled from a successful girls night and a little more reassured about having an online dating profile now. Rose had helped her feel more at ease with dipping her toe into that pool, and she almost felt a little thrilled at the idea of meeting somebody after so long. She was tired of gross guys hitting on her at the First Order and it would be nice to be treated out to a nice night for once. It had been a long time since she’d been on a date, longer than she cared to admit (probably since she finished college if she was being honest with herself). When her dad had died and she and Poe had decided to try out their business venture, Rey had found herself consumed with work (not that that was a bad thing). She was happy, decently successful, and could finally afford a lot of the things she wanted in life. Now it was time to share that with somebody else. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here (kind of)! Rey and Kylo finally get to *talk*!! But... there's a new guy, too ;) 
> 
> Pumpkin spice lattes, awkward conversations, a jealous Kylo and some cute Chewie action.

It had been a few days since Rose had convinced Rey to make her online dating profiles. She had had a few matches on one or two apps, and two particularly promising ones (or at least two that stood out among the rest): Anakin Christensen and Kylo Ren. 

Anakin was good looking in a cookie-cutter type of way - attractive in a very conventional sense with a slim build, medium brown hair, tan skin, green eyes and a nice smile. His profile mentioned that he was 29 years old, liked hiking but hated the beach (because of the sand), was a big animal lover, didn’t love children but was open to talking about it, was interested in science fiction and scary movies, and he worked in the political science field. He seemed educated, nice enough, and like a generally good time. His pictures were full of smiles, friends, and beautiful scenery. 

Kylo’s profile, on the other hand, left a lot to the imagination. It was barely filled out with only one picture that was taken against a plain wall. His main page bore a caption that said something along the lines that he was 32 years old and looking to seriously date, liked to take part in wild schemes, worked as the boss for part of his family’s company but had taken a leave of absence to figure some stuff out, and was confused about the online dating world but figured he would take a stab at it to find his dream girl. 

Normally, Rey wouldn’t have swiped to match with somebody like Kylo Ren. He didn’t have enough information on his page or enough photos to even make Rey feel like he wasn’t some kind of bot. But for some reason she had felt drawn to the man in the picture. He was so large that he took up most of the frame, dressed in all black with a pale face peppered with moles, donning honey colored eyes, and long wavy black hair. She could tell he was over six feet tall and had a muscular build under all that clothing. His large lips were drawn into a tight smile and he looked nervous and awkward. Rey had felt both bad for him and also felt for him. She was similarly new to this online dating world and was also giving it a shot to find somebody worthwhile. It was for these reasons (and an odd connection she felt towards the hulking man) that she had swiped right and been pleasantly surprised when she matched with him. 

She had only recently matched with Kylo so they hadn’t talked yet, but she was hoping he would reach out soon. Anakin on the other hand had already reached out to her when they matched earlier that week. He seemed almost overly confident while messaging - flirting heavily with her and constantly making her roll her eyes at some of his advances. Anakin had just moved to Pennsylvania from New York, so he was new to the Philly area and was hoping Rey could  _ show him around _ . 

Rey had suggested he come visit her at the First Order during work hours and grab a coffee with her. This way they could meet at a public place and if he was a total jerk or creeper then she could ask Poe to help her take care of the situation. It would also help ease her jittery nerves to know they were meeting at a safe location that was conveniently also home turf for her. Rey was hoping it would make her less flustered about the whole ordeal. Anakin came on strong with his playful nature and she wasn’t used to this much attention - much less from someone who wasn’t just a creeper hitting on her across the register - after so much time alone. It wasn’t that she necessarily wasn’t into it, but she wasn’t completely convinced that Anakin was quite her style.  _ But _ he  _ was _ cute and Rey knew not to be too picky without getting to know someone first. She hated when people weren’t given a fair chance in a situation. 

While she finished preparing herself for the day ahead and for meeting Anakin, Rey looked down at her phone and saw a message from Kylo Ren. It was nothing more than a simple “hi” but she found herself smiling at the phone, glad that he had reached out to her.  **Hi back :)** , she typed and hit send before she could reprimand herself for answering back so quickly.  _ Hadn’t Rose said something about always leaving them waiting and wanting? _ Rey felt it was silly to not answer back as soon as she saw a message, especially if she  _ wanted _ to talk to that person. Dating shouldn’t be a complicated game but Rose made it seem like that was all the rage now. 

Thankfully, Kylo answered back just as quickly:  **What are you up to today, Rey?**

**Nothing too exciting. I work today at the bookstore/café that I own with my brother, Poe. So I’ll be elbow deep in PSLs and apple cinnamon crescent rolls.** Rey wrote out. She contemplated adding about how she was happy he had gotten in touch, but afraid to seem overly eager she just added:  **What about you?**

**PSLs? What are those? And nothing too exciting over here either. Probably going to do some work on a long term project I’ve recently taken on.**

Rey read Kylo’s next message with a laugh before typing out a reply as she headed out the door to her shift. She could already tell she was going to have fun with this  _ Kylo Ren. _

***

Watching Rey walk out the door, Kylo read her incoming message with a smile:  **_A pumpkin spice latte_ ** **!? It’s only** **_the_ ** **most important part of the fall season (apart from Halloween, of course). You** **_have_ ** **to try one today and tell me what you think. It’ll probably help to have some caffeine in you anyway while you work on your project.**

When he was sure Rey was far enough away, Kylo broke the concealment charm and braced himself for Chewie’s attack. He and Chewie had been spending a lot of time together while Rey was at work and Kylo had grown rather fond of the animal. While sometimes he went and checked in on Rey at the First Order, he spent most of his days while she was on shift at her apartment working on his plans (such as setting up his dating profile so he could match with Rey), furthering his education about the current times and the ever confusing female human species, watching more romcoms (even though he’d never admit he had started to enjoy them), and taking care of other basic tasks. He now had a small bundle of summoned clothes that he had hidden around the apartment where he knew Rey couldn’t find or reach, slowly amassing a wardrobe in hopes that he’d be able to use it soon on some dates out with Rey. 

After appeasing Chewie by taking as much slobbery love as he could handle, Kylo summoned a pumpkin spice latte from a random coffee shop and answered Rey:  **I’ll get one right now and report back. But maybe one day you could make me one of yours? I’m sure I’ll still be missing out until I try one of the coffees at your café ;).** He didn’t know where he had found the courage to text a winking face, but he hoped it was the right move. 

Thankfully, it seemed to be as he read the message from Rey:  **Guess you’ll just have to stop by the First Order some time soon then ;) Wouldn’t want to deprive those taste buds of yours for very long…**

*******

Rey blushed as she saw Kylo’s response:  **I wouldn’t want to deprive my taste buds of your excellent coffee or, more importantly, deprive** **_myself_ ** **of your pleasant company…**

She silently cursed herself for inviting Anakin over today for coffee at the First Order - finding herself much more intrigued with mystery guy Kylo Ren and his barely there profile, she wished that he was the one coming over today. If she had to admit it, she felt herself more attracted to Kylo, even though they had only been talking for less than a day. Rey just had a gut feeling about him she couldn’t ignore.  _ Plus _ he texted back quickly and Rey’s anxiety was ever thankful for that trait. 

But Anakin was the one coming to visit her on her shift soon and as much as she trusted her gut feelings, Rey’s rational side couldn’t bring herself to brush off Anakin that quickly. 

Rey was roused from her thoughts by Poe’s teasing sing-songy voice. “Excited to see your new boy,  _ Anakin _ ?”

“I suppose! He should be coming somewhat soon…” Rey looked over at Poe working beside her behind the counter, and then down at her watch. It was right around 2:00 pm, the time Anakin said he would stop by. 

“Is it possible that you’re talking about  _ me _ ? I can’t imagine too many people in the Philadelphia area sharing my name.” Rey was surprised her neck didn’t snap with how quickly she turned to look back across the counter, her jaw dropping and eyes opening wide at the smug looking man leaning in across from her. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Anakin, grinning at her with mirth in his eyes. 

Rey quickly settled herself and wiped the shock off her face, extending a quick hand out to the amused man before her. “ _ Oh, God _ ! Anakin!  _ Jeez _ , I’m sorry… Hi, how are you?” 

Anakin chuckled and shook her hand with a wink. “Awfully formal to shake the hand of the person you were just talking about. I think that I at least earned a hug.” 

Poe let out a snort from beside Rey and chimed in, “I’ll hug you, big guy. My name’s Poe. I’m Rey’s brother. Happy to meet you, Anakin. What can I get for you today?” 

“Make me whatever will get me in the fall mood. I can’t believe we’re only a little over two weeks away from Halloween and I haven’t even seen a scary movie yet. I think the move to Pennsylvania has really messed with my mind.” Anakin and Rey had talked somewhat about their love for all things horror and gore, so Rey understood what it was like to be in one’s favorite season and not be able to enjoy it fully because of life getting in the way. 

“I’ll make you a classic pumpkin spice latte. Can’t go wrong with that! And, well, if you  _ really _ want to get in the mood, Rey and me and a couple of our friends always go to some fall festival thing around this time. It has good food, pumpkin carving competitions, hay rides, and a couple of haunted houses and mazes. You know, the usual fall favorites. You’re welcome to tag along if Rey doesn’t scare you off today.” Poe answered with a wink in Rey’s direction. He knew Rey well enough to know she’d be blushing at his teasing. 

Rey looked over at Poe with a warm flush spreading over her cheeks and a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She knew Poe was just trying to help and speed things along, but she couldn’t help feeling flustered (more than she thought she’d be) that Poe had gone ahead and invited Anakin to an almost decade long tradition between their friend group. It wasn’t that she was trying to ditch Anakin already -  _ or was she? _ She had to remind herself that she couldn’t just ghost him because she all of a sudden felt some weird connection with Kylo - but she felt it was almost  _ intrusive _ that he was tagging along for something that was so personal to her. 

Rey shook off her bad feelings about the situation, knowing that going into this weekend with a negative attitude was a sure fire way to dismiss Anakin without giving him a decent shot and she also didn’t want to ruin the tradition she looked forward to the most every year. Plus, how did she know Kylo wasn’t just some handsome and charming creep?  _ Why do I feel so attracted to him? We haven’t even met! Or even really  _ talked!  _ When did this even happen? You need to get yourself together, Rey Dameron. Since when do you feel this strongly about  _ strangers _? Chill the fuck out and have some fun with Anakin, dammit.  _

“That sounds great! I’ll get more details from Rey later about it.” Anakin - perfectly unaware of Rey’s inner turmoil in front of him - was discreetly overjoyed that Poe had already basically secured a second outing for him and Rey, even if it was a group date. Rey was cute, and from their earlier conversations she seemed to be at least somewhat attracted to him. They had a decent amount of things in common and she appeared to be more accessible and down-to-earth than other girls he had pursued in the past. Anakin found himself genuinely looking forward to getting to know her better, and to eventually get to know her  _ in that way _ . He had been with many women, but he felt that something with Rey would be worth more because he might actually have to put some effort into it for once.  _ I’m looking forward to this chase _ , he mused. 

_ Soon,  _ Anakin thought.  _ I can be patient for you, Rey Dameron. For now.  _ There wasn’t a time Anakin could think of where he had gone after an object of his interest where it didn’t end well for him. He would have some fun at this haunted house, he decided, even if Rey’s friends and brother would unfortunately be there. At the very least, it didn’t hurt that haunted houses and mazes were a perfect opportunity for hand holding and touching. 

***

Kylo Ren was  _ fuming _ , feeling his hands ball into fists at his side and thankful (always thankful) that he was concealed from view. _ Who the  _ actual _ fuck is this fucking guy?  _ He had decided to pop over to the First Order to check on Rey, feeling rather pleased about their earlier conversations. He was expecting to catch Rey working, but he was secretly hoping that he would find her re-reading their messages or typing a new one out to him…  _ not _ talking to this random guy and  _ definitely not _ over hearing Poe invite him to hang out that weekend with Rey. 

Kylo was only further enraged by what he found when he looked into the man’s ( _ Anakin’s _ ) mind. This Anakin character clearly believed that he would be holding hands and touching  _ his _ Rey this weekend, and  _ actually _ believed he could eventually  _ take her _ like one of his many disgusting conquests. Kylo could see clearly into Anakin’s thoughts and he heard every dirty thing the fucking guy was thinking. Anakin obviously thought of Rey as prey - a slightly more difficult hunt for him that would maybe challenge him for once. 

_ Over my dead demon body,  _ Kylo seethed.  _ And I can’t even fucking die.  _ There was absolutely no way that Kylo was going to allow this outing to take place without some Hell-ish demonic intervention. He would just have to make sure to be extra creative this weekend when he had his fun. When he was done, Anakin would  _ never _ dare to come near  _ his _ Rey again and  _ hopefully _ Rey would never give that dirtbag another thought. After this weekend, the only man Rey would be thinking about would be Kylo Ren. He had to make sure of it. 

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flirtatious texting, festival food, and a surprise ending. 
> 
> I love Halloween so leading up to fall we are going to have some fun spooky times with this fic. That being said, here are some fall festival adventures!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some rough handling/non-con touching in this chapter. If you would rather not read please stop reading at, "The path to the shops and art fair were decorated with corn stalks, pumpkins, and hay stacks that people could sit on ..." (and don't read the rest of the chapter) 
> 
> I will give a brief summary of what happens in the chapter notes at the end of this chapter!

Rey hugged tighter onto her body pillow as she smiled at her cellphone, having been woken up by a text from Kylo, **what are you doing this weekend, sweet Rey?**

Since he first reached out on Wednesday they had been messaging back and forth almost nonstop. Rey had learned that Kylo had one sister, Lilith, who had taken over the company in his absence. They were close and he trusted her to take care of the position, but he missed being there sometimes. He never outright mentioned what his job or business was but Kylo alluded that he was in the “people business”, and Rey didn’t think it was important enough to press further at the time. Kylo had also disclosed that due to some personal reasons and family intervention, he had taken some time off from the company to become a better boss and person, as well as to maybe learn a thing or two along the way. Rey chose not to pry when Kylo told her this, too. From the way he worded things and seemed somewhat closed off on the topic, it seemed like he had been through some serious shit, and she was sure she’d learn more about the ordeal as they went on. _If we went on,_ Rey corrected herself. 

Honestly, she was glad Kylo was interested in her at all. They seemed to really be hitting it off, messaging until the late hours of the night and first thing in the mornings. Sure, it had only been a couple of days (it was Saturday now) but she already felt so close to him. Kylo and his profile had seemed like a challenge from the start, enticing Rey to learn more about the enigmatic and awkward man that was presented before her. When they had matched Rey had been excited but nervous. What was she supposed to talk to him about? Would he be weird and creepy? There was barely any information on his page and while it drew her in with an odd allure, it was not exactly an _inviting_ profile - completely opposite of the way Anakin had presented himself. 

But talking to Kylo was easy and effortless. She found herself looking forward to his quick replies and his inquisitive mind. He would ask her all kinds of things and eagerly respond to her answers with affirmations, musings of his own, and further lines of questioning. It was almost as if he couldn’t get enough of her, and Rey couldn’t get enough of him. While Rey felt almost ambushed with how bold Anakin was in his flirting, she felt appreciated and admired with the way Kylo had treated her so far. _Stop getting ahead of yourself_ , Rey reminded herself. Her mind kept going down a dangerous path with Kylo Ren lately, and she felt out of control for the first time in a long time. _You haven’t even met him yet! But maybe you can soon?_

***

<Rey>: **I’m going to this fall festival thing today. It’s further out - in New Jersey - actually. My friends and I go every year. Have you ever been? It’s Felucia Farms.**

<Kylo>: **Never heard of it. Never even been to a “fall festival”. What does one entail?**

<Rey>: **Kylo, it’s looking more and more like I’m gonna have to officially take you under my wing here. First PSL’s and now fall festivals? Have you been living under a rock?**

<Kylo>: **Something like that. This forced company retreat has really isolated me, if I’m being honest. Lots of self reflection. But no matter. I’m ready to socialize again and will eagerly accept your tutelage. You haven’t enlightened me as to what a fall festival is yet though…**

<Rey>: **It would be my honor to educate you in all things fun, Kylo. A fall festival has pumpkin carving competitions, haunted mazes, apple and pumpkin picking, great food, etc. You should really check it out if you have the time.**

Kylo let out a small laugh, knowing that Rey was texting from her room and wouldn’t be able to hear him (Chewie on the other hand gave a quizzical whine in his direction but then laid back down on his bed). If Rey _really_ knew what haunted places and monsters looked like, he wasn’t sure she’d be calling them “fun”. That didn’t matter, though. All that mattered is that Rey was going to have a good time with her friends tonight and that she wanted to “ _educate him in all things fun_ ” and take him “ _under her wing_ ”. These notions set Kylo’s heart soaring and racing. Except for the fact that he was painfully aware of who was attending the fall festival today with her. _Anakin._

Maybe he _would_ check out this fall festival - _in person_ . He had already decided he would tag along unseen to protect Rey from the gross man who had made his intentions all too clear to Kylo (not that _he_ knew anything about Kylo’s mind reading abilities) - but maybe Kylo could appear in person now and _casually_ run into Rey and her merry group of friends. Kylo mulled it over for another 0.5 seconds before he replied, **Maybe I’ll make some time today… Who knows, we might even finally run into each other?**

***

Rey gripped her pillow even tighter as she read Kylo’s new message. _Of course_ she was delighted that Kylo seemed eager to meet her. However, _of course_ it had to be during a time where Anakin was also going to be present. Rey squeezed the poor stuffed cushion in frustration over her situation thinking, _if only Poe had kept his big mouth shut._

She couldn’t wait to meet Kylo and couldn’t keep the grin off her face as she thought about it, but she also didn’t want him to be put off that she was there with another man, especially when (as of now) her sights were much more firmly set on Kylo. _What if he finds me and decides he’s not interested when he sees Anakin? Or what if Poe makes some dumb joke and he thinks Anakin’s my boyfriend or something and that I’m just leading him on?_

As Rey thought about these possible scenarios she became increasingly anxious. There was nothing she could say back to his text that wouldn’t seem rude or dismissive if she tried to convince him not to show up today, and that was the last thing she wanted. Rey ended up sending what she thought was a good enough effort to persuade him not to go - a promise of a later, yet eventual, meet up: **Yeah, maybe! It’s always so busy around this time of year and I don’t know if you want to be around Rose and haunted houses... She’s a bit melodramatic… But either way I think we should set up a movie night or something soon. If you don’t know about fall festivals and PSLs then I think we might have to catch up on some season favorites like “Beetlejuice” and “Nightmare Before Christmas” for your homework ;)**

Rey would just have to find a way to avoid running into Kylo if he was at the fall festival, but more than anything she hoped that the temptation of a double feature movie night was enough to sway him from finding her tonight. 

***

Kylo would have been more taken aback by Rey’s response if she hadn’t hinted that she _did_ want to hang out with him, albeit not necessarily _today_ . He wondered if his newest pain in the ass, _Anakin_ , was to blame. Was she trying to avoid them running into each other because she wanted to be uninterrupted and alone with Anakin or because she didn’t want him to know that she was talking to several people at once? Kylo was tempted to snatch the answer from Rey’s thoughts in the other room, but he had too much respect for her to do that. He did feel uneasy at the idea that the former was to blame for her somewhat avoidant answer. 

_Guess I’ll just have to figure that out tonight, then,_ he thought. More importantly, though, and regardless of her answer to his dilemma, this time together for Rey and Anakin was not going to end well if he had any say in it. _Sorry, Little One. Hope you aren’t into the shithead because you have no choice. You’re mine, whether you like it or not._ And after a mental pause pregnant with insecurity, Kylo added to his thoughts, _but hopefully you do._

***

Kylo watched as Rey finished getting ready for an outing that wasn’t with him but would maybe (if he could swing it) end with him (at least somewhat). He had decided that he would remain under cover of his trusty concealment charm and then feel out the situation before he decided to reveal himself or not. He urgently implored the unseen forces and fates of the world (and even his mother a little bit) that things would go his way tonight. 

Already he felt the bubbling of jealousy bloom over him as Rey put on her mascara and texted her friends that she was almost ready. She wasn’t even in the same room as another man yet and too soon this all too recognizable feeling was overwhelming him. There had been a time when jealousy had been almost unfamiliar to him. There was nothing he ever wanted that he couldn’t summon or get himself, and there was _definitely_ never a person who occupied his mind the way that Rey did. Her presence had taken root in his mind, body, and soul and clutched on with more force than Kylo could even process. 

Kylo hated feeling out of control and at Rey’s mercy, but he was also... pleased? These possessive and covetous feelings were ugly, but imagining himself with _his_ Rey made him feel warm and almost hopeful for his future. He liked thinking about her and fantasizing about what they would be like _together._ All the things he could do for her. All the ways he could take care of her. 

At the very least, he was grateful that of all people to stir these previously unknown feelings in him, it was Rey - a gentle, eager, friendly, shy, _beautiful_ woman who gratefully gave him the time of day (and night) with her conversations - who had opened up the floodgates. Until their time together could officially begin ( _in person_ ), Kylo would just have to get rid of all obstacles until his dreams became a reality. 

***

Rey could barely contain her excitement as they stepped into Felucia Farms’ Fall Festival at around five in the afternoon. The grounds were alive with music, color, food, people - _life._ There were string lights, a band playing, pumpkins and hay everywhere, and handmade wooden signs leading to all the different attractions (hay rides, apple and pumpkin picking, food, the stage, several haunted houses and mazes, an artisanal fair, kid friendly decorating stations, etc.). Rey breathed it all in eagerly, smelling the caramel coated apples, the cinnamon and nutmeg in the air - even the petting zoo animals - with joy. This was an event she looked forward to every year and hadn’t missed being in attendance for over a decade (rain - or snow - or shine). 

Rey grabbed Rose’s hand eagerly, “I can’t believe we’re here! I heard the houses and the maze are extra scary this year because they brought in this special effects artist from New York!” 

“I _know_! We should definitely eat first, though. I’m both tempted by the apple cider donuts and the need to consume every sweet in sight to have the energy to survive such an ordeal.” Rose squealed back while squeezing Rey’s hand. 

The group - composed of Rose, Poe, Finn, and Rey - headed over to the food tent filled with different stands and food trucks. Anakin had mentioned earlier that he would meet them there and so Rey sent him a quick message letting him know they were moving in that direction. 

When the group shuffled up to the alcoholic apple cider booth to begin their culinary journey, Rey felt a hand on her back and quickly spun around into the arms of a green eyed man with a large smile. “Hey there, gorgeous. Are you happy to see me?” 

Anakin enveloped Rey into a hug and she could smell that he had already been drinking. This wouldn’t have been an issue to Rey, especially as someone who liked to have her fair share of fun, except that Anakin’s hug lasted a little too long and his hands slipped much too low for her liking. Rey hugged him back tentatively, wondering how many drinks he had consumed and asking herself why he had felt the need to already drink a few without them even there yet. 

“Hey, Anakin. Good to see you again! Have you been here for long?” Rey chirped, trying her best to sound enthusiastic and not at all disappointed that Anakin was not, in fact, Kylo Ren. 

“I got here a little earlier so I could start the fun ahead of time.” Anakin replied with a wink. “I haven’t eaten all day yet in preparation for the food here. When I googled the festival everyone raved about the food trucks and stands.” 

_Oh, great. He’s already started drinking_ and _has started to do so on an empty stomach. Why would he do this on a first date?_ Rey fought back the urge to roll her eyes and smiled at the man before her in response. She then went on to formally introduce Anakin to Rose and Finn, who had already turned to them in an effort to meet him, Poe nodding to Anakin in greeting since they had already met. 

They moved ahead in line slowly (the alcoholic apple cider here was so good that people would bring bottles of it home with them) and made small talk. Anakin asked Rey about her day and she told him how excited she was to be there, about how she looked forward to this festival all year. She had already told him of her anticipation for the event when they had messaged each other for details for the weekend, but now that she was here she had a hard time shutting up about it. 

“How have you been since we last spoke? I know you mentioned work was kind of a downer this week.” Rey asked, turning the attention away from her never ending gushing over the festival. 

“Yeah, work has been rough. We just got slammed with a lot of work and I’m in charge of quite a few projects - more than I had signed on for when I took the job. I’m hoping tonight will help me wind down a bit, especially now that I’m with my favorite girl.” Anakin replied with another wink and a large grin. Rey tried her best to look flattered, watching the wiry man down another drink. _Ahh, so that’s why all the drinking_ , she concluded. 

“What food stand do you guys want to hit up? Or should we divide and conquer? Rey, I can get the donuts for us if you and Anakin want to go get us some food or something?” Rose said as she brought Rey’s attention to her. The group was sitting at a table drinking before they set off on their search for food. 

“Divide and conquer sounds good. What kind of food do you guys want? I’m kind of in the mood for their curried sweet potato and chicken tacos, personally.” Rey answered. The table nodded back in agreement, and Poe added in that he was more in the mood for chorizo if she could also get a few of those. 

They got up to leave, with Rose in charge of desserts, Anakin and Rey in charge of the tacos for dinner, and Poe and Finn staying behind to save their spot under the tent. Before she and Anakin could leave, Rey saw Anakin grab Poe’s arm, lean in and ask, “Poe, buddy. Would you be able to get us another round of drinks? Maybe something stronger than that cider, too.”

Poe nodded, mentioning cranberry mixed drinks and spiced rum as options. Anakin asked for the spiced rum - a double - and a couple more apple ciders before he and Rey ventured off to the taco truck. 

***

Kylo watched Anakin slowly get more and more drunk throughout the dinner. He was disgusted with the man’s behavior, opting to stand close to Rey as he chowed down unnoticed and invisible on an apple cheddar burger with caramelized onions behind her ( _damn it, though, if the food wasn’t downright sinful_ ). He had observed Anakin drink two apple ciders and a spiced rum and had noticed that when he came back from getting his own food (breaking the concealment charm just for a few moments) that he had _another_ spiced rum in hand by the time Kylo returned unseen with his burger. 

Kylo had overheard how Anakin had already started drinking and had not failed to notice how touchy Anakin was with Rey as he descended into his drunkenness. He had spotted the awkward hug with his hands a little too close to her ass, and then scowled at the man as he watched him repeatedly try to put his hand on Rey’s knee or thigh while they sat around the table drinking and eating (with Rey thankfully scooting away or moving Anakin’s hand away a lot more politely than Kylo would have liked, smiling all the while). Peering into the minds of her friends, Kylo was able to see that Finn and Poe were too caught up in their conversations to notice much of the under the table manhandling, and Rose was engrossed in her apple and maple donuts. He wasn’t even sure if anyone but he and Rey had noticed just how much Anakin had drunk so far, the light and playful atmosphere around them masking the developing issue.

While Kylo couldn’t necessarily fault them for not noticing - Anakin was a master, and he hid his advances well to those he wasn’t after behind the safety of the picnic table and charming smiles. Rey also didn’t allow for anyone to catch on if she could help it, probably too worried about ruining the merriment around her. Though Kylo admired her selflessness (to a degree), he was annoyed that Rey had to deal with it alone. _If this gets any worse I’m going to kill the motherfucker._

In an attempt to dissuade Anakin, Kylo had already tripped him on the way to more drinks, cast a charm that made Anakin feel unwell, and spilled one of Anakin’s drinks on him on the way back so he had to march back to get a refill. But Anakin was not so easily beat. Anakin seemed to have no qualms continuing to drink despite his waves of nausea and headaches, and hadn’t seemed too bothered to clean his spilled drink and come right back with an apology to the table. 

_Stress of the job this week my ass. Bastard must get drunk often if he won’t even stop with that sickness charm_ , Kylo thought bitterly. He checked Anakin’s mind to make sure, though, and quickly had confirmation as he watched flashes of Anakin drinking by himself and with others well past his limit, and occasionally taking some unnamed pills or snorting some powder as he downed the alcohol.

Kylo’s distress over the situation was only heightened when he began feeling Rey’s wish to leave and, through the ring’s connection and pull (since Kylo could feel the deepest wishes and desires of the ring bearer if they were strong enough in the moment, were particularly emotionally charged, and if he was paying attention - even if they hadn’t been voiced), a faint desire for _him._ While at any other point that would have Kylo puffing up his chest in pride, it only made him worry about how to best take care of the situation before it got out of hand. He slowly began to consider and weigh his options - especially the possibility of revealing himself and somehow stealing her away from him - with the hope of intervening more forcefully before the situation got worse. 

***

Rey was _not_ having fun. Not only was Anakin more than four drinks in (it wasn’t even officially nighttime yet and two of them were strong doubles), but he had spilled some on himself at some point and came back smelling strongly of both his own sweat and the sticky beverage. To add to the discomfort of sitting next to someone who smelled like a distillery, Anakin was getting more and more bold in his advances - grabbing Rey’s knee or skimming his hand on her thigh under the table - all while making light conversation with her friends. 

Though upset at her situation, Rey was not about to ruin everybody’s night because of Anakin, and she had certainly dealt with her fair share of entitled assholes - enough that while she was annoyed, it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle ( _yet_ ). More than once she found herself going back to her earlier thoughts of wishing that Kylo was there instead. _Maybe then I could actually have some fun._

Finally, Rose broke through Rey’s thoughts about Kylo (she had long stopped listening to Anakin’s drunken rambling and had let her mind wander elsewhere as she added nods and “mhm’s” to the man who was so far gone he didn’t even notice she wasn’t paying attention anymore). “It’s finally getting dark! Should we go look at some of the pumpkins they’ve carved and vote on our favorites? Then we can get a head start on the houses and mazes!” 

“Yes! I’m hype! The pumpkins always look so badass. Mine never look that good when we do them.” Finn said, with his shoulders slumped as he ended with a wistful sigh. 

“Good thing I’m not with you for your pumpkin carving abilities, babe.” Poe smiled at Finn, giving the pouting man a quick peck on the cheek.

“Sounds cool. Maybe Rey and I can meet you guys there in a few minutes? There was a cool art piece I wanted to look at quickly before the artisanal tents were all taken down to make way for the scare actors coming in,” Anakin said. The shop tents were only open and set up until nine o’clock and then those zones became “scare zones” where scare actors would wander among the guests. Rose, Finn, and Poe had all gone to look at the local and handmade art stands earlier, presumably to allow Rey and Anakin some “alone” time. 

“Okay, yeah, sure. We’ll see you guys, then!” Rose replied, looking at Rey and shooting her what she thought was a knowing grin. Rey offered back a tight smile, thinking how she would laugh at Rose’s tipsy misinterpretation of the situation if she wasn’t so bothered with Anakin and his behavior. 

As the trio departed, Anakin grabbed Rey’s hand in his. His hand was clammy, palms perspiring despite the October chill. He led a more than reluctant Rey towards the shops, not picking up on her discomfort or on the dangerous looming presence of a concealed and very furious Kylo trailing loyally behind Rey.

The path to the shops and art fair were decorated with corn stalks, pumpkins, and hay stacks that people could sit on. Anakin followed the dirt gravel path, pulling Rey along, until he took a quick turn into another path which would eventually lead to the haunted corn maze, walled in by bales of hay to form a hallway corridor of sorts. It was more deserted here, given that the scare zones, mazes, and houses didn’t open up until nine o’clock and it was around eight thirty. 

Anakin tugged a confused Rey in front of him with his right hand and pushed her into the wall of hay bales on his right. Rey gasped, able to stutter out a quick, “W-wait! What are you doing?!” before Anakin’s lips descended on hers, his heated touch pressing her against the wall by her hips. 

Rey protested against his body, moving her face so that Anakin landed on her cheek instead of her lips, and attempted to push his hands off her hips. Anakin tightened his grip, pressing his sweaty body into her, and letting his mouth trail her jawline as he began to suck on her neck, growling at her, “I didn’t know you liked it rough, Rey.” 

She whimpered at his statement - mad at herself for not following her friends to the pumpkin carving competition to vote, disgusted by Anakin’s actions - his acrid smell and booze-tasting lips, and angry that he was turning out to be so much worse than what she had expected when she initially matched with the confident friendly-looking guy.

Rey could only continue to struggle helplessly against Anakin’s strong hold with her eyes shut tight and face crumpled into a frown, not wanting to shout out for embarrassment of her situation, as he became more daring, spurred on by her fighting. She fought back the threat of tears as she tried to think about anything else but her current predicament. 

All of a sudden, Rey felt Anakin’s hands release her. When she opened her eyes she saw a large man dressed all in black, pinning Anakin to the ground while snarling at him between blows to the face, “Do you like attacking women, you fucking asshole? Do you like preying on people? I’ll fucking _kill you_ for touching her!” 

Rey watched in horror with her body glued to the makeshift wall, the man continuing his assault on Anakin, straddling the man to keep him from moving as he punched him. Anakin was helpless to defend himself against the much larger male, blubbering about how he was “sorry” and “drunk”. The dark-dressed man stopped punching him right before the point where Anakin would pass out, his knuckles covered in Anakin’s blood and snot - Anakin crying underneath him with a broken nose and possibly a dislocated jaw. 

The man slowly peeled himself off of Anakin’s shaking form, kicking him swiftly in the gut and murmuring to him about “leaving before he changes his mind and kills him right there”, before turning and looking up at Rey. “Sorry about that, I was really hoping we would meet each other under different circumstances, Rey.”

Rey’s jaw dropped and her eyes opened wide as she gasped, “ _Kylo_?!”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary of events: A drunken Anakin assaults Rey (non-consensual touching and kissing) and Kylo breaks his concealment charm to attack Anakin. Kylo beats Anakin, making his distaste for Anakin and his behavior known. After a very thorough beating and some words, Kylo turns to Rey and acknowledges her, letting her know these are not the circumstances under which he wishes they had met. The chapter ends with Rey realizing who her savior is by yelling out a shocked, "Kylo?!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fall festivities continue, and we finally get some real face-to-face interaction between Kylo and Rey!! Also, pretty sure Finn is becoming one of my favorite characters...
> 
> There is now a Pinterest board if you wanted to some visuals! You can find it here: https://pin.it/6qSPxuo 
> 
> Extra note: there is very brief mention of sexual harassment/assault but no details (proceed with caution)

“Yup, it’s me. Nice to meet you...?” Kylo replied sheepishly, popping the “p” in “yup” and offering a shy hand in her direction. 

Rey took Kylo’s hand and grabbed it, but instead of shaking it she led him deeper into the makeshift hallway framed by the stacks of hay bales to talk to him. They ignored Anakin as he struggled to catch his breath on the floor and made his way to get up, presumably to make his getaway as quickly as possible before Kylo changed his mind.  _ Wise choice _ , Rey thought with a quick smirk before she stopped further down near the maze entrance. She turned to face Kylo, looking at him intently with big eyes and a weary gaze. Still panting from the attack, she took a deep breath in order to steady herself before speaking. 

“W-what are you doing here?  _ I didn’t expect to see you!  _ You should have told me you came or something. How did you find me?” Rey half-whispered with a squeak, stumbling over her words in her flustered condition, her face flushed and hair sticking to her neck with sweat. 

Kylo took in her disheveled form and then glanced down at their hands which were still clasped together, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze before answering, “I-I… I was hoping to surprise you and your friends. Hoping to check the festival out… run into you. But then I saw  _ him.  _ I saw his  _ filthy hands _ on you. He was  _ disrespecting _ you and I lost it. I couldn’t let him hurt you, Rey. I’m sorry… I’m sorry you had to see that but… I’m not sorry I hurt him.”

Rey looked up at him as he talked but turned her sight downwards when he mentioned Anakin. She let out a big exhale and her shoulders slumped, her hand going limp in his and her bottom lip trembling. Kylo watched her with concern in his eyes, face soft, as he pulled her into him for a hug. Rey let herself be hugged by him, letting her body relax as she buried her face in his broad chest and started to cry - allowing herself to feel the emotions that had been pent up from just a few minutes before. Her body shook as she grabbed onto Kylo’s lean waist and pulled him close. At her acceptance of his embrace, Kylo looped one hand tighter around her waist and brought his other large hand to her head to stroke her hair, his hand almost completely encompassing her scalp. 

“It’s okay now, Rey… well, it’s  _ not _ okay… But I  _ am  _ here, and I  _ will  _ protect you. I’m sorry this is how we met.  _ I got you _ .  _ I’m sorry. _ ” Kylo murmured at intervals into Rey’s hair as he continued to hold her and pet her head. Rey slowly stopped her sobbing, taking deep shaky breaths to steady herself. 

She pulled her hands away from Kylo’s waist and pressed her palms against his chest, craning her neck to look up at him as his hold loosened around her to allow her movement. “You don’t need to be sorry… I’m glad… I’m glad it was you and I’m glad you’re here with me now.” she whispered. Kylo moved his hand from her head to join his other on her waist, holding her in place as he looked down at her through thick eyelashes. He squeezed her hips and gave her a tentative and timid smile. 

Rey returned it with her own small smile as her eyes took in his handsome face, her eyes scanning across to memorize every detail.  _ Damn, this isn’t the time but… he’s hot. And beautiful. And strong. And he saved my ass.  _ And _ as if it couldn’t get any worse, he has those goddamn perfect eyelashes that are always wasted on men.  _

“Are you okay? What are you thinking about?” Kylo spoke, breaking her shameless ogling ( _ not that he minded _ ), his voice a low rumble that she could feel in his chest. He had noticed her eyes wandering about his face, a glint of mischief in them. 

She looked away from his face and then back to his eyes, pursing her lips before answering, “You’re going to think it’s dumb. And really random considering what we’ve been through in the last few minutes.”

Kylo tilted his head at her, squinting his eyes as he focused on one of her eyes and then the other. “Try me.” 

“Umm… well. I was thinking that you had really nice eyelashes and that it’s not fair that guys always seem to have the best eyelashes…”. Rey mumbled, her hands on his chest turning into loose fists and her head and shoulders dipping down in an attempt to become smaller from the embarrassment of her confession. 

Kylo let out a quick bark of laughter, bringing one of his hands to her chin to force her to look up at him once more. He could only pray that she couldn’t tell how taken he was with her, trying to steady his heartbeat and rising temperature - unwelcome reactions to their bodies pressed together before answering as cooly and playfully as he could, “Uh, _ thank you _ ?”

“You’re welcome, big guy.” Rey replied with a quick wink and smile, uncurling her hands and lightly slapping his chest as she spoke. With her face now tilted up to him again, she all of a sudden realized how close she was to Kylo, and quickly panicked at the proximity and her somewhat flirty response. She noticed his warmth against her body and his scent - bergamot, pepper, and cedar - in the air around them. As she relaxed and came down from her initial state of shock and her abrupt breakdown, she began to feel spooked and timid, feeling like she was suffocating.  _ How much do you really know about him? And you’re already leaning to him for support... _

Rey’s heart quickened before she hesitantly pushed Kylo away from her body gingerly, moving to take a small step back, crossing her arms, and standing to look at him from her new imposed distance.  _ Woah there, Rey. This is way too fast. I know he just saved your ass and everything but you don’t actually know him and you’re still feeling vulnerable. Get your shit together,  _ she thought.  _ But... also he just beat some guy up for you and he’s totally dreamy and…  _

***

Kylo took in Rey’s swift departure from his hold with surprise, feeling the absence of her warmth as he stood immobile with his arms still stretched out. He watched her step back and shrink into herself, wrapping her arms around her body in a protective and closed off stance.

“Oh, gosh. I’m sorry. I’m, like, draped all over you and your shirt is covered in my tears and my snot. God, this is all a big fucking mess. I just wanted to have some fun and I’m sure that beating someone up wasn’t on your to-do list today.” Rey spit out anxiously, moving her hand from being tucked into her arm to pinch the bridge of her nose.

_ Ahh, too fast. She’s scared,  _ Kylo reasoned as he relaxed his own posture and went on to answer out loud, “It’s okay, Rey.  _ Really.  _ I can… I can take you home if you want? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. We can start over, meet another day?” 

“No. No, I shouldn’t let him ruin my night. This is  _ my _ night. I look forward to this day all fuckin’ year.” Rey quickly shook her head, speaking quickly and jumping from place to place with her thoughts, seeming to attempt to convince herself more than anything. “ _ No _ , I’m gonna go back out there and I’m going to get  _ properly _ fucking scared on my own terms because  _ I  _ fucking want to be and it’s almost Halloween, not because some asshole decided to get shitfaced.”

“Uh. Okay, yeah, yeah. That sounds good.” Kylo said, sounding a bit confused. Honestly, he didn’t quite understand the attraction of forcing yourself to be frightened, especially after what Rey had just been through. He assumed she’d want to go home and lay in bed. Maybe the adrenaline rush was worth it? Kylo couldn’t think of a single time he’d actually been afraid, except for when his mother first punished him by binding him to the ring that was now on Rey’s finger.  _ Or when I saw Anakin attack Rey.  _ And neither experience was particularly joyful. 

He silently mourned the chance to comfort Rey further, but was secretly proud that his Little One was so strong - not allowing herself to be phased in the moment by some creep. Kylo was jostled from his musings when he felt Rey’s small hand on his arm as she muttered to him, “Okay, yes. Let’s go, Kylo. I told you I’d teach you and take you under my wing, and we’re gonna start right the  _ fuck _ now. We’re gonna meet Rose, and Finn, and Poe and we’re gonna have fun and I’m gonna forget this shit ever happened.” 

Kylo obediently followed, still a bit bewildered and feeling a bit of whiplash from the quick change in emotions and the new direction of the night. He shook off his disorientation with a discreet smile, turning his thoughts instead to all the ways he could help his Rey forget Anakin and enjoy the rest of her night. 

***

Kylo spotted Rey’s friends up ahead, recognizing them from the times they’d cycled through her house in the past week, standing by the funnel cake stand. Rey had briefly mentioned that Poe had texted her earlier to inform her they’d wait for them by the food so they could walk through the haunted houses and newly set up scare zones together. She also let Kylo know in a more commanding tone that under  _ no _ circumstances was he to bring up the “incident”. The story they had settled on was that Anakin had gone home sick from a bad taco mixing with the alcohol and that she had run into Kylo on her way to them. That was fine with him, the less he had to think about the offensive bastard the better. 

Rey waved over to her friends with a cheerful acknowledgement, still pulling Kylo’s large frame along. Poe looked up and raised a brow at the comical sight of his petite sister dragging a dark haired giant along with her, venturing to comment as they approached, “Um. Hey, Rey! Uh… who’s your new  _ friend _ ? Where’s Anakin?” 

She waved off his questioning nonchalantly, “Oh, he had to go home. We didn’t even make it to the art tents before he doubled over into a trash can. I told him to leave and wandered through the shops before they closed where I ran into Kylo here. He was alone so I told him he could join. It’s his first time so we gotta make it good, guys.” 

Rey introduced the bemused group of friends to Kylo, who nodded at each of them in turn with a curt greeting. She noticed he seemed a bit less relaxed around them than he had before when it was just them together. She wondered if he was feeling more reserved now that they weren’t alone anymore, thinking back to his somewhat awkward profile picture.  _ Cute.  _

“Three’s a party so our new group of five must be a blowout. Shall we go get in line for a house before they all get really long?” Rose chimed in after the introductions, hoping to move them along. “The houses this year are haunted graveyards, iconic monsters, abandoned fairgrounds, and a neon party-ish one - radiation spill. I think the maze is demons and hell if we want to start there instead.” 

Kylo had to hold in a snort, coughing a bit at the maze’s theme.  _ Can’t wait to see that. I wonder what unbearable trope they’ll go with this time - the horns, the wings or that idiotic tail?  _ He saw Rey give him a glance and he shrugged in response. “Let’s start with the one furthest away since there will be less of a line because people always start near the entrance and the food.” Rey suggested. 

The band set off towards a path lit with jack-o-lantern’s, prompting Finn to go on a tangent about how great all the designs for the competition were and how he thought that the werewolf portrait was way better than the witches hovering over the cauldron that won. “ _ Personally, _ the details of the fur was what got me. I don’t know why you guys even bothered voting for anything else,” he droned on with a huff. By his side, Poe linked their arms together and patted Finn’s hand in an attempt to soothe him, trying in vain to hide his entertainment at Finn’s frustrated ramblings. 

Kylo walked slowly behind the couple, trailing close to Rey. They were walking side by side without talking, watching the world around them and every so often listening to Finn and Poe discuss random things of interest. Rose was forging up ahead of them, leading them in the direction of their first house: classic Hollywood creatures and monsters. 

He took the quiet time between him and Rey to peek at her from his peripherals, noting how her tan skin seemed to glow in the light from the pumpkin-illuminated path. Kylo reflected on their last few moments together, inhaling the air around him that was now tinged with both her scent (orange, lemon, olive leaf, and vanilla) and the smell of the sweet desserts that wafted down to them as they walked away in the crisp fall evening. He briefly closed his eyes to commit her fragrance and this moment to memory, feeling the aroma wrap around him as he had many times before when he was in her home and once so intimately just a few minutes ago. 

Kylo felt comforted and warm, wanting to pull Rey close to him now more than ever that he had finally presented himself to her.  _ I can’t believe I held you in my arms. Your skin was so soft and smelled so good… You fit perfectly against my body, using me to anchor yourself in that moment. While I would never wish that upon you again, I can’t wait to hold you again, to feel you again….  _

He continued to admire her as they walked, engrossed in how beautiful she looked, dressed up in an oatmeal colored waffle-knit sweater, light wash skinny jeans, and brown leather boots. The outfit itself was nothing out of the ordinary but on her it fit just right, and Kylo had to inhale deeply to steady his wandering thoughts before they led him to trouble. While she seemed to be cozy and bundled tightly against the cooling breeze, he let himself daydream that she would get cold as the night wore on and he could swoop in to offer his body heat and maybe his hand.  _ Hmmm… maybe messing with the weather a bit wouldn’t be such a bad idea tonight.  _

***

Rey was thankful for the comfortable silence that had lapsed between her and Kylo, taking it as a possible sign that he was enjoying the night despite the unfortunate way they had ended up together. She was still a bit nervous around him, embarrassed that she had broken down in his arms and then did a 180 and flirted with him before pushing him away.  _ That must have been confusing. Shit. And then I basically forced him to hang out with me and my friends. This is going to be his worst first date ever. Does this even count as a first date? Shit! _

She let out a puff of air in frustration, hoping that Kylo didn’t notice her mood change. Rey willed herself to get a grip, thinking to herself that she would have to turn this outing around before Kylo decided he was done pitying her and ran for the hills, never to talk to her again.  _ But he doesn’t look unhappy or like he’s here against his will or only because he feels bad... Maybe he’s having a little fun? Maybe he actually _ wants _ to hang around?  _

A looming archway complete with torches and depictions of Frankenstein’s monster, mummies, vampires, werewolves, witches, and so on roused Rey out of her thoughts. Rose circled around from her place up ahead to grab her arm with an excited, “First house!”

“And the line is short! We probably won’t have to wait more than five or ten minutes,” Rey answered, matching Rose’s enthusiastic tone. They got in line behind a small group of people, Poe and Finn taking the front, followed by Rose and Rey who remained with their arms linked and then Kylo in back. 

Rey looked behind her at Kylo, finding his eyes before asking, “Are you excited? Is this your first haunted house experience?” 

“Sure, though I think you might be more excited for me to pop my haunted house cherry than I am.” he replied with a wink, finding it easy to talk when he was addressing just Rey ( _ wanting  _ desperately  _ to talk to just Rey _ ). 

Rey blushed at his teasing, thankful that it was getting dark and the orange glow of the torches and string lights wouldn’t give her away. “I hope you’ll like it. We’re gonna have a hard time getting along after this if you’re not a horror fan.” 

“Don’t think that’ll be a problem, Rey. If I hate it, you can always make it up to me with that educational Halloween movie double feature you promised me. And if I love it, then I have even more to look forward to as we get closer to Halloween - assuming you still want to see me after this, of course. But I have a feeling I’ll be having a lot of fun tonight,” Kylo grinned at her. 

Rey beamed back, but then forced herself to look away before she could get lost in the warmth of his amber eyes. His intense gaze made her feel hot and bothered (though not in a bad way), seemingly looking at her as if she was the only thing he saw or cared about. She was grateful when they stepped forward in line to be the next to enter the house, eager to get away and be distracted from his powerful hold on her.  _ If I’m not careful I’m going to fall. And I’m going to fall hard.  _

***

Kylo loved the haunted attraction, but he loved watching Rey more. No one bothered to scare Kylo, assuming (and rightfully so) that the man wasn’t going to be an easy target - so they settled on Rose and Rey ahead of him with a vengeance. Kylo passed through the whole thing with great amusement, enjoying the special effects, noises, and sights. None of it was even remotely believable or close to the true beasts he knew to be real, but he admired the effort and craftsmanship. He laughed as the girls shrieked and giggled, hesitant to turn corners and trying their best to fast walk while clutching to each other at particularly active parts of the house. 

A few times they ran into Poe and Finn ahead of them in their rush to escape the terrors that jumped out at them. At one point, Rey and Rose stayed rooted to their spot, refusing to move forward and instead choosing to huddle up to Kylo as an exceptionally bold monster growled at the pair. Kylo could have died right there and then a happy demon, if such a thing was possible. The fact that Rey turned to him for comfort at all made Kylo just about float away in ecstasy and contentment. He regretted his choice to gently usher them forward when the threat passed instantly, wishing instead that he had taken Rey in his arms and whisked her away in his protective hold. 

***

The rest of the night went on in a similar adrenaline-induced upbeat frenzy, and before either of them knew it the clock had struck well past midnight. Kylo could feel through the ring’s bond that Rey had no desire to be or do anything else, perfectly content and without want after the several houses, scare zones, and mazes. He scowled internally as he thought about how different that was from when he felt her cries and desperation to be away from Anakin earlier in the evening, and her general discomfort at his presence even before that. 

Kylo had heard her wishes to hurt Anakin and get away from him loudly through the ring’s bond, and even though she hadn’t voiced her pleas out loud, they were so emotionally charged that Kylo had felt the compulsion to obey his master even without the added personal investment. When he had pleaded earlier to the void that her night ended with him instead of Anakin, that wasn’t exactly what he had had in mind.  _ He will never hurt you like that again. And now he’s just a distant memory of some drunk fuckup who doesn’t deserve you.  _

He was happy to have played even a small part in the large smile Rey donned freely now, looking much more relaxed and buzzing from the night. Her pupils were blown, her face flushed, and her hair further mussed than when the night had started. Kylo also noted with a small smile that the arm of the sweater where Rose had diligently clutched on for dear life was wrinkled from her tight hold on her throughout the night. 

As the night wound down and they made their way over to the entrance gates to make their exit, Rey told Rose, Finn and Poe to go on ahead to the car as she said her goodbyes to Kylo. They waved as they parted, thanking Kylo for the company as Rose yelled back to him with a toothy smile and drawing out his name as she shouted, “Thanks for saving us from a couple monsters,  _ Ky-lo _ ! We’ll have to use you as our personal bodyguard more often!” 

Rey laughed at her exuberant friend, shaking her head before turning her attention solely to Kylo, one hand wrapped around her waist and the other scratching the back of her neck in an almost self-conscious manner. “Before I go, I just… I wanted to thank you again for stepping in. And then for staying and hanging around. It means a lot that, that you didn’t just leave. I had a lot of fun.” 

Kylo searched her eyes as he answered softly, “I mean it when I say I’d do it again. I’d do anything for you. You don’t need to thank me.”

Rey looked down and to the side, her breath catching, considering the meaning behind his words, but before she could think of a reply he continued quickly, sensing her discomfort at his bold confession. “I had a  _ really _ great time tonight, Rey. And I’d love to see you again if you’ll have me.”

She met his eyes again, finding the courage to smile despite her wracked nerves. She shifted her position so that one hand landed on her hip and another went up to her chin, scratching it as if in thought. “Well, if my memory serves me right then I still owe you a double-feature to continue your seasonal cheer lessons, Mr. Ren.” 

He smiled back at her and she noticed his eyes wrinkled and his cheeks dimpled in the most adorable way. “I look forward to that, Miss Dameron. Let me know when you get home and we can set a date from there,” Kylo replied, as he started to step back with a small wave. “Sweet dreams, Rey.”  _ Dream of me _ , he added as he turned to walk away. 

Rey was left staring after him, taking in his muscular form as he sauntered away confidently. He had been polite but distant around her friends, only really opening up when he had her full attention or when he was directing his discussion towards her. Their conversations flowed easily, not any different from their laid back and comfortable messaging. She felt both soothed in his presence and jittery from the butterflies he seemed to endlessly cause - flitting around anxiously in her lower belly every time he looked at her or his body grazed hers. He’d been nothing but a gentleman and allowed her and Rose to seek comfort from him the few times they had been overwhelmed by the scare actors, while not actively seeking out or forcing physical affection otherwise. Rey had privately reveled in those moments, feeling his strong taut muscles and searing body heat keeping her safe. 

Rey reflected on how she wished she’d hugged him goodbye ( _ or even kissed him on the cheek or something _ ) but it wasn’t like she had opened up her body language to encourage him in - and the way she had pulled back from him after her breakdown was probably just as uninviting. She finally turned when he disappeared from her sight, vowing that next time they were together she’d make more of an effort to show him her full interest in him.  _ You’re a catch, Kylo, and I’m going to reel you in,  _ she thought as she walked towards her friends, stifling a quiet laugh at her corny joke. 

***

When she got to the two parked cars, Rey made a motion to get in with Finn and Poe since they lived closest to her but Rose shot her a look and called out to her, “You’re riding with me on the way back, Rey!” 

Rey hugged Poe and Finn goodnight, giving them tight bear hugs and expressing her delight in the fun evening before peeling herself away to get into Rose’s car somewhat begrudgingly, already having an inkling of an idea of why Rose wanted her to ride in her car. 

As the boys drove off and they both settled into the car, Rose turned to Rey before starting the engine. “Uh, hello Mr. Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous…! Where the hell did this Kylo guy come from? And what the  _ heck _ happened to Anakin?” 

Rey laughed at her friend’s excited prattling, holding her hands up in a “slow down motion” as Rose drove them out of the almost empty lot. “Woah, there Rose. One question at a time. Kylo is actually another guy I matched with… we’ve been talking for some time and I really like him so far. I had told him that I was going to be here tonight but I didn’t expect him to actually show up. I actually didn’t want him to show up at first because I was worried he would see Anakin and run off. But I’m glad he did. When Anakin got sick suddenly and left it was nice to have Kylo. Things were more… natural with him. I had a great time.” 

Hidden by his concealment charm, Kylo felt himself almost glow with pride and happiness in the backseat. He had popped in to check on Rey before teleporting to her home to wait for her and he was damn glad he did. Kylo felt relieved that his suspicions that she didn’t want him to be intimidated or scared off by Anakin’s presence were right, glad that it wasn’t that she had just wanted alone time with the guy.  _ Good thing you like me, Rey, because you sure are stuck with me, babe.  _

“ _ Why didn’t you tell me about him _ ?!” Rose hissed. “I would have told your idiot ass to go invite him instead of Anakin, the other idiot who couldn’t handle his drinks. I bet that’s why he got sick. He’s probably a light weight trying to pass off as a heavy weight,” she added, rolling her eyes. 

_ Something like that,  _ Kylo sighed irritatedly behind them as Rey answered, playfully slapping Rose’s arm, “I  _ didn’t invite _ Anakin, Poe did! I already told you that earlier! I would have loved for it to be just as four, like it usually is. And I didn’t tell you about the matches because I wanted to see if any one of them would amount to anything before I started telling everybody. Poe only knew about Anakin because he was coming to the First Order to meet me this past week, and then he ended up meeting him there too, which is when Poe invited him. Also, don’t worry. Anakin isn’t going to be making any other appearance anytime soon. He was nowhere near as good looking as Kylo, and definitely a third of the man he is - especially since he clearly couldn’t hang.”

Rose and Rey continued to discuss Kylo, Rey happy that Rose bought the line about Anakin getting sick from tacos and alcohol. After meeting Kylo, Rose was content to forget all about Anakin and instead focus on the “new and improved match” for Rey. “And don’t think I didn’t catch how he almost pushed the poor tractor driver aside to be the one to grab your hand and help you in for the haunted hayride, Rey. If I didn’t know any better I’d say he’s already head over heels for you. Not that I think you minded much, seeing the way you cuddled up to him on the ride,” Rose winked at Rey and waggled her eyebrows. 

Rey gasped and flushed in embarrassment, recalling how Kylo had all but snarled at the wizened tractor driver in order to be the one to help her up the tall hitch wagon, moving in to settle next to her after assisting Rose as well. In the moment she had been pleasantly surprised, feeling the butterflies in her abdomen fly around double time at his protective nature.  _ Especially after the Anakin debacle.  _ She was delighted to think about someone like Kylo protecting her - her dark knight in shining armor. While Rey was used to and perfectly fine with taking care of herself, she couldn’t deny that being taken care of was not an unwelcome change. They had ended that hay ride with Rey snuggled into Kylo’s side, seeking his warmth as his long arm pulled her in close. Though right after, Rey had made sure to distance herself a bit, alarmed at how comfortable she felt with Kylo on just the first date.  _ But maybe, if it’s meant to be then it’s meant to be… and that sure as hell felt right.  _

Behind her, Kylo was also fondly reminiscing on that hay ride. Shuddering with pleasure remembering how Rey had sought him out instead of Rose who was seated beside her, how her small frame had fit perfectly into the crook of his arm as if she was made to be there. He also thought about how disappointed he had been when she’d pulled away and seemed to retract a bit into herself. He understood that due to Anakin’s behavior and the way they had officially met, that she was probably feeling uncomfortable with her draw towards him despite how little they actually knew each other. Kylo could feel through the ring’s bond how she fought the desire to be near him, feeling her push away the pull for fear of being reliant or moving too fast. Her emotions spoke loudly through their connection, helping Kylo to understand some of her inner conflict without needing to sift through her mind.  _ Don’t worry, Little One, I feel it too. _

As the girls continued to chat about the evening, Kylo continued to think back on the night. He was excited that Rey had finally seen him and that she found him attractive. He had been afraid of her rejection of his physical appearance, always having felt that his ears and nose were too large, opting to keep his hair long in an attempt to solve at least one of those problems. While he could easily use his powers to change his looks if needed, there was something inside him that had hoped she would accept him as he was naturally.  _ And she had _ . Now he had to make sure she would accept  _ all of him _ \- demon species, king of underworld designation, and son to God almighty herself included. 

  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn a little secret about Rey and go on a cute Reylo date. Lots of fun flirting and fluff :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so y'all know, I imagined BB as looking like Zac Efron because I love the man. (And Bagdley from BB is a nod to Penn Bagdley because I also very much appreciate him as a human being) 
> 
> Pinterest moodboard: https://pin.it/6Tx5G1o
> 
> Also, I am overwhelmed!! <3 Thank you for over 1000 hits! I hope you all are enjoying reading as much as I am enjoying writing :) Have a fantastic weekend, y'all :D

Rey got up the next morning feeling relaxed and refreshed despite how late she had gone to bed and how early she was rising. Kylo had truly saved the night yesterday in more ways than one - from _actually_ saving her to sticking around afterwards and then later to messaging her once she got back home until she fell asleep. It was nice to drift off to sleep while talking to somebody, it made Rey feel wanted and needed in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. And not to mention that it gave her wonderful night time dream fuel. 

Now that she was awake, Rey was getting ready for her day so she could leave for her early morning to afternoon shift at the First Order. As she made her coffee and breakfast, Rey thought back to last night and how she had told herself she would be more bold with Kylo despite her reservations that things could be moving too fast. 

“What do you think, Chewie? Should mommy grow a pair and text him to visit her at work? Should she ignore her annoying over analyzing brain and listen to her lonely ass heart?” Rey asked out loud while Chewie nuzzled into her outstretched palm. 

Chewie gave her knee a small lick, an odd habit of his. Rey took this as a resounding “yes” as she pulled out her phone and typed out: **I still owe you that double feature, but I also seem to remember that you still need to try a First Order PSL. Come on down today and have one as my treat?**

Rey didn’t expect a reply considering that it was around 6:30 am, but she was pleasantly surprised when her cell went off and she read: **Only if I get to take you out to lunch as** **_my_ ** **treat ;)** . She could barely contain her smile when she wrote back: **Deal**. 

***

As Rey prepared the shop for their 7:00 am opening time, she couldn’t help putting on some cheerful and sappy music to match her mood. She couldn’t wait until lunch time when Kylo would take her out, hoping and praying that the shop would be busy so that time could go by faster. 

Thankfully, Rey’s co-worker, Ben Bagdley (or BB for short) came in and she was glad to not be working alone and to have someone to help her pass the time. BB bounded over to her with a big smile, always bright and ever the morning person, giving her a warm hug as he greeted her. 

“Hey, Rey! How was the fall festival? I’m going next weekend with Amilyn when it’s closer to Halloween.” he said, unwrapping himself from her and moving on to get his work apron. 

“It was great! The neon radiation spill one was super trippy. It was like a fun house. You had to walk through moving walkways and spinning tunnels. Very unreal.” Rey gushed. “How is Amilyn doing? I haven’t seen her come in and see you in a while.” 

“She’s good! She’s been busy planning the wedding and trying to secure Bartram’s Garden for us. I know it’s a little late to book them but she’s determined and has enough connections.” BB answered with a big grin. He and Amilyn had just recently gotten engaged and their wedding was going to be in the springtime so a botanical garden venue would be perfect. BB absolutely adored her and it was obvious in his dopey loved-up face. “Amilyn is actually dyeing her hair lavender today. She says it’s in preparation for Halloween but I think she just wants to see what pastel shade looks best on her before she figures out her wedding look.” BB added with a wink. 

“Ugh. She is going to look absolutely stunning, BB. I honestly can’t wait. You guys are an absolute dream and Bartram’s Garden would be lucky to host your wedding. I’m sure Amilyn will snag the venue. I’ve never met a more determined and capable woman.” Rey groaned with admiration. Amilyn was a powerhouse. She was older than BB and a powerful political figure who had known exactly what she wanted the second she stepped into First Order Books and Coffee: BB by her side. And she had gotten it that very day. Rey looked up to Amilyn as if she were a big sister or a cool older aunt, and she couldn’t be more happy for the betrothed couple. 

Rey and BB discussed some more wedding details and dreams as they finished opening up the shop, completing some last minute chores before they turned the sign on the door over to signify they were officially open. When they finally switched the wooden sign over, Rey checked her phone before any customers waltzed in. 

<Kylo>: **Are you already at work?**

<Rey>: **I am! Why?**

<Kylo>: **I don’t know if I can wait until lunch to see you… so I might head over for my coffee a little early if that’s okay and maybe just work there until lunch**

<Rey>: **More than okay! See you soon.**

“Who are you texting with that goofy ass smile, Miss Dameron?” BB whispered behind her, startling Rey in the process. 

Rey spun around and shot a playful glare at her co-worker. “A new friend. What’s it to ya, Mr. Bagdley?” 

BB shrugged with a smile. “I just haven’t seen you look like that at your phone before.. That is definitely the look of a woman who is texting somebody she fancies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you date honestly.” 

“That’s because I don’t really date. Rose set me up with an online dating profile thing and I matched with this guy. Also who uses the word _fancies_ anymore?” Rey scoffed. “But yes… he is somebody I _fancy_.” 

“Good. You deserve someone who makes you happy, Rey.” BB said with a soft look on his face. 

Rey rolled her eyes at him in a joking manner. “ _Oh my god_ . Everyone treats me like I’m some doomed-to-be-spinster. I swear I was at least semi-happy being single and figuring out my life and First Order out. But now that things are more settled I am going to enjoy the dating scene again. And this guy is at the very least a great _start_.” 

“Maybe even a great _end_?” BB chirped. 

“Too fast, Mr. Badgley.” Rey retorted.

BB shrugged again with a smug grin. “Honestly, you never know. Amilyn and I didn’t date that long before I knew I was head over heels, way out of my league, and a hundred percent needed to lock that woman down as soon as was somewhat appropriate to ask time wise. I probably knew a handful of dates in, I think. And even then - we just got engaged in the last month and have been dating since April. That’s only six months. Kind of fast when some people date years before getting engaged. When you know you know, though.” 

“Yeah, I guess.” Rey said wistfully. “He’s really great. I’m excited to see him today. It’ll be his first time having First Order coffee and then we are going to lunch later.” 

“Well, if you aren’t enough of a sell then the coffee and pastries should do it!” BB laughed, skipping out of Rey’s way as she turned to swat him good-naturedly with the towel she was cleaning with. 

***

It was around 8:30 a.m. when Kylo Ren made an appearance at First Order. Rey had been checking the door every time that it chimed opened, and couldn’t help but ogle as his massive frame sauntered in. He was wearing a maroon wool sweater, dark jeans and boots. His hair looked like he had run his hand through it several times, but the ends near his neck were still curled up in hard-to-tame waves. When he looked over at the counter he found Rey staring and gave her a toothy smile, dimples and all. Kylo crossed over to her in two big steps and chuckled, “Like something you see, Rey?” 

“No.” Rey answered quickly before back-tracking, “I mean, yes. Obviously yes, Kylo. You look great. Red is definitely a fitting color for you.”

He beamed at her and stretched his arms out to make a sweeping gesture over her body, “Thank you, Rey. But, I gotta say, you put everyone here to shame, even with your work apron on.” 

Rey blushed and returned his smile. “Thanks, Kylo. Are you ready to try your first of many First Order pumpkin spice lattes?”

“First of many? Someone’s feeling cocky.” Kylo laughed. 

“Well, you liked that other one you had. And I’m confident enough in my coffee to know that you’ll love the one I make.” Rey quipped back. 

“I think I would love anything you offer me, Rey.” Kylo smirked. With that, Rey left him to stare after her as she turned to make his drink. 

***

Kylo wasn’t sure how a mere human like Rey could make him lose his breath every time he saw her. He always felt like he had been punched in the gut by her presence and now fully understood the mortal phrase “breath-taking”. Even in her dirty black apron and mussed hair, seeing Rey was enough of a luxury for Kylo. He watched her carefully as she made his drink, taking in her taut stomach, small frame, and long, slender legs. She had a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and he almost moaned with the way she was biting her lip as she concentrated on making his coffee just right. Kylo didn’t try to hide his admiration for her or her body, figuring that if she had had the boldness to take in every inch of him as he walked in, it would only be gentleman-ly to return the favor. 

When Rey returned with a cup in hand, Kylo straightened up from where he was leaning over the counter. He grabbed the cup from her hand, briefly amused at how comically tiny her hand looked next to his gargantuan one. As their hands brushed together in the exchange he felt a warm jolt of electricity go through him, completely unrelated to the steaming cup of coffee. He brought the coffee to his lips and did a big show of taking a quick whiff and then a long sip as he looked over at Rey past the brim of the lid. He hummed in appreciation and licked his lips as he put the cup down, drawing out the silent interaction and reveling in how Rey’s attention was solely focused on him, waiting for his reaction - her big eyes wide and full of anticipation. 

The coffee smelled strongly of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice - it was a heart-warming smell that made Kylo feel at ease and reminded him of his enjoyable evening last night. The taste itself was delicious. The coffee was robust and strong, the flavor profile of the pumpkin spice was complimentary but not overwhelming, and the splash of milk added a nice creamy undertone to tie it all together. 

“Well?” Rey prodded impatiently. 

“This is truly great coffee, Rey. Probably the best I’ve ever had.” Kylo replied. _Not that I’ve had that much coffee as a demon who doesn’t really need that stuff... But I could definitely drink this every day, especially if it meant I get to see you._

Rey sighed a sigh of relief and then waved him off. “You big old charmer. Best you’ve ever had? I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kylo.” 

“I mean it! I was afraid it would be too sweet with the way it smelled, but it is much spicier than I would have imagined. And your actual coffee is obviously well-sourced.” Kylo enthused.

Rey felt her cheeks warm under his praise as she answered, “Well, we try to source locally for our roasted beans and we make sure whoever we get them from has fair trading practices and good quality of beans and roasting styles.” 

“I can tell. _Really_ .” Kylo said as he took another long taste. He then looked at Rey, and held out his free hand to touch her arm. “Your whole shop is divine.” _I would know_ , he added in his head. 

“Thanks, Kylo. I’m proud of what Poe and I have done here. You should check out some of the books while you wait for our lunch date. Unless you’re too busy with the work you’re doing.” Rey offered.

“No, not too busy. I’m interested to see what you have in stock. I’m a big book nerd, actually. I’ve had a lot of time in my life filled with spaces of quiet and solitude that only a book could fill and cure.” Kylo responded. 

Kylo reflected inwardly on how most nights at the thrift store he had filled his time reading whatever books ended up in the small library section - it was a small reprieve from his seemingly-endless and monotonous existence there. He had always been curious to learn more about the world and the way humans perceived it and thought about it and their existence therein. This was especially so since he had almost no contact with anybody the whole time he was cooped up there. Given all that, Kylo had to admit that, if anything, a select few humans were extremely creative and their works perfectly enjoyable. Not that he hadn’t read a dud here or there, vividly recalling a period of time where the only new books to read in the tiny nook were dealing with supernatural romances teeming with themes about werewolves and vampires. He shuddered inwardly with horror at the lows of those days. 

“Perfect, I get off from work at noon and we can go get lunch wherever. If you want any more coffee or tea, or even a pastry or something, it’s on me. Just tell me or tell BB I told you that.” Rey mentioned before excusing herself as she went back to work with one last smile and wave. 

Kylo shuffled forward, taking his time to look around the cozy shop. The shop had a comfortable feel to it with wooden floors, decorative carpets, and exposed brick. There were plants hanging from the ceilings and there was a plant wall to one side. The light that bathed the store was warm and orangey, setting the mood for a homey ambiance. The front opened up to the café bar and sitting area that had a long booth to one side under the plant wall with some tables spaced out throughout, and then further out there were worn down plush chairs that were gathered around coffee tables that had books and magazines stacked among them. When you walked further into the store you were met with three shelves of books, two built into the walls and a third in the middle divided the area into two passageways. Each passage was adorned with hanging ivy, pothos, spider plants and donkey tail plants that made the room feel like a hipster jungle. The ceiling had skylights that allowed the environment to be bathed in natural light. The bookshelf that was built into the wall facing the street was broken up every now and then by large curtained windows and reading nooks, while the opposite bookshelf also had some more private reading nooks with lamps to help those reading during stormy days. The place was any bibliophile's wet dream and Kylo couldn’t help but be in awe of the atmosphere Rey and Poe had created. 

As he walked deeper into the book section he saw a shelf in the back with a sign that read “First Order Favorites”. He browsed through, trying to see if he could recognize any of the titles of authors. Among them were classics such as Jane Austen, Stephen King, C.S. Lewis and Jack London, but also lesser known authors such as Walter Moers, Frans de Waal and Yuval Noah Harari - showcasing titles and stories that ranged from romance to artificial intelligence, animal behavior and fantasy adventures themes. Kylo could see as he looked closer at the sign’s smaller print that the suggested reading were favorites of Rey and Poe as well as recommended books from patrons who had offered up their own picks to make up the eclectic bunch that had ended up on the shelf. Apparently the titles changed every season and anyone could throw in a proposal for the shelf. _What a great fuckin’ idea._

Kylo grabbed a fantasy adventure title by German author Walter Moers, _Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures._ He thumbed through the thick book in interest, looking at the occasional Shel Silverstein-esque eccentric illustrations that were provided. He decided to take a chance on the novel and went over to sit in one of the reading books in a darker corner near the back end of the store. Kylo squeezed himself into the comfortable space, moving a pillow to support his back as he began reading in earnest, the book resting on his thighs, with his back to one side of the shelf and his knees bent in front of him, as he was too tall to stretch them out in the cushioned area provided by the reading nook. He kept his coffee by his side, resting against his leg, occasionally taking a large mouthful when the mood struck him. 

***

Curious as to where her gorgeous introverted date had disappeared to, Rey decided to go search for him, a chai latte, pumpkin muffin, and water in hand as offerings. She figured he had curled up somewhere with a good book considering that he hadn’t wandered back over to the café area and she hadn’t spotted him working at one of the tables. Rey walked down one of the passageways, allowing herself to take in the deep aroma of books and soil and coffee with a deep inhale as she walked through. 

She found the handsome giant stuffed into one of the reading nooks, in what was sure to be a very cramped and uncomfortable position. She wondered how his legs didn’t cramp up, contorted as they were to fit into the smaller space. Rey admired his concentrated face, eyes flicking across the pages. He hadn’t noticed her standing there waiting with how enthralled he was with the book. Rey cleared her throat and outstretched her hands filled with her refreshments, “I come bearing gifts! I figured you could use a snack before we get to lunch. It’s also a bit of an apology because I have to stay until one because we just had a ton of customers come in and Poe is gonna be in later today.” 

Kylo finally looked up from his reading, meeting her eyes with a smile. “No apology needed, I’m actually really enjoying this book. I might have to buy it so I can finish it later.” He held the book up to her so she could read the title, while taking the drinks and snacks from Rey and lining them up on the floor next to the wall where he could easily grab them as he read. 

“Oh! Walter Moers is one of my absolute favorites. He is so creative. I haven’t found a single person who doesn’t enjoy his work - any one from kids to their parents and grandparents.” Rey exclaimed, excited that Kylo had picked one of her recommendations and had been enjoying it so exhaustively. “Also, that there is a chai latte. Another fall favorite you can acquaint yourself with today.” 

“What did I do to deserve such royal treatment? You really know how to make a man feel special, Rey Dameron. You might make an addict out of me just yet.” Kylo replied.

“A fall beverage addict or an addict to me?” Rey shot back with a grin.

“Both,” Kylo answered with a wink as he took a tentative sample of the chai latte. “ _Shit_ , that’s good, Rey.” The beverage was, quite possibly, the drink equivalent of how Rey made him feel. Warm and comfortable and happy. It wrapped around his senses and soothed him. If the pumpkin spice latte was good, this was pure bliss. Kylo didn’t consider himself as having much of a sweet tooth but if Rey kept feeding him such delicious things he was sure he’d develop one all too soon. _Not that I don’t already have a sweet tooth reserved just for Rey and her delicious self._

“Good. That way you can keep coming back for more.” Rey said, her grin only widening as she added, “Of both.” 

“I plan on it.” he responded as he took another eager swig of the latte. 

“Okay, I’ll leave you to your reading and be back around one so we can leave for lunch,” Rey remarked as she turned to leave. Kylo watched her walk away, enjoying the view before he settled back into his book with a satisfied sigh. He already knew he was an addict to Rey, it was high time she realized it too. And Kylo couldn’t be happier that it seemed that Rey couldn’t get enough of him either. 

***

When Rey came around again, it was without her work apron, signaling that she was good to leave. Kylo closed his book and followed her to the front so he could buy it and continue reading, however he promised that he would only read it here at First Order (asking Rey if he could keep the book there behind the counter as extra motivation), stating that, “I figure this is my best excuse to drop by as often as I can to see you and grab a chai latte.” 

“Good thing neither of us are purely seasonal,” came Rey’s reply when she checked him out at the register. 

The two headed out to Reading Terminal Market for lunch, which was Rey’s suggestion since they couldn’t make up their minds as to what mood they were in for food. The locale was a train ride away so they walked to the station, hopped on a train, and got off at Jefferson Station. Kylo enjoyed being close to her as they rode the train to the market, and was extra pleased when Rey took his hand to lead him off the crowded train when it was their turn to get off. Her hand was warm and soft in his and he made a point to not let go even when they eventually got to their destination. 

The market was crowded and teeming with people, everyone bustling about getting their food or gifts. The two went their separate ways as Rey went in search of a hoagie and Kylo advanced towards the back to get a grilled cheese sandwich and some soup (before they departed, Kylo insisted that Rey take money from him for lunch, as he had stood firm on the fact that this was his treat for her). Afterwards, they had said they would meet in the back area to sit once they had their food. 

When he finished, Kylo looked around the busy area and failed to find Rey so he squeezed himself into the nearest available space where two seats were open. Rey found him not too long after, chuckling at how he made the table look like it was meant for children. 

Kylo scowled at her, coming to his own defense, “If I could have stopped growing I would have, trust me.” 

Rey laughed again before answering, “It’s not a bad thing, Kylo. It’s just that I know plenty of people over six feet tall and for some reason you just look so much _bigger_ than all of them. It’s great. You’re basically my date _and_ my bodyguard.” 

Kylo snickered at her comment, chiming in with a quick, “Anything for you, sweetheart”. He then looked at her earnestly as she unwrapped her hoagie and said, “I’m glad I make you feel safe, though, Rey. I would never hurt you and I would never hesitate to defend you.” 

“Thanks, big guy. To counter, I don’t think I could even hurt you if I tried.” Rey smiled with a wink. 

_You have more power over me than you think, and you could definitely hurt me without even trying_ , Kylo supplied in his mind as he outwardly returned her smile. 

The two ate in comfortable silence after that, occasionally piping up with a random comment or to point out something interesting while they people watched. Philadelphia was home to a variety of characters and a place as packed as Reading Terminal Market made people watching an even more enjoyable pastime. 

As they both finished their food, Kylo began to grow anxious that their date was coming to a close. He knew this was silly considering that Rey made it seem that she’d like to continue seeing him and given the fact that the ring bonded them he knew he wasn’t going anywhere where she wouldn’t also be. But this was just how Rey made him feel lately. A little lost and confused, excited to see her again and anxious when she wasn’t around. Kylo wondered if it was too soon to say he was far gone for this woman. 

***

Having devoured their lunch and cleared their table, Rey asked Kylo if we wanted to stay and look around at the shops. He agreed, to which Rey’s heart fluttered with joy. She had been thoroughly enjoying their time together and was regretting that it was coming to an end, hoping that she could tempt him to stick around for a little longer. Rey reminded herself that they still had plenty to look forward to, including a double movie feature which she had suggested take place next Friday or Saturday. 

Just as the two moved forward to browse the stalls, Rey made a point to brush her hand against Kylo’s sizable one and was delighted when he took it in his own and gave it a squeeze. He looked down at her through his thick long eyelashes and smiled, exposing the dimples and wrinkles by his eyes that she had grown to be more fond of as the day went on. They let her know that he was having as good a time as she was, and Rey couldn’t be happier. 

Rey led Kylo to her favorite stand, Bee Natural, which had local bee products ranging from balms and skincare items to different honeys and bee pollen. “I’m honestly a sucker for bees,” Rey whispered to Kylo as if it were a secret. 

“Oh?” Kylo replied. He had never given bees much thought but he acknowledged that they were an important part of Earth’s ecological balance. 

“Yes. If I show you something do you promise not to tell?” Rey continued to whisper in a conspiratorial manner. 

Kylo was intrigued now as he shuffled to turn his whole body towards her in the small stall, having before been side by side. “Do tell, Rey Dameron. You have piqued my interest,” he said. 

Rey giggled and lifted her shirt a little at the same time that she lowered her pants slightly with the other hand. Kylo almost choked and lost his mind when she didn’t let go of his hand as she went to pull down the waistband of her pants, his fingers skimming her soft and warm underbelly. He leaned down to look at what she was showing him and found a sweet little bee tattooed on her hip bone with a dripping honeycomb design behind it. 

“It’s somewhat new. Poe hasn’t seen it yet… actually, _no one_ knows yet. I got it before summer ended when I was visiting a farmers market and started talking to one of the farmers about his bees. He had brought over a single-frame hive so people could look at them work. I’ve always loved bees and bee products and had always wanted a tattoo, so I figured why not and went out on a whim to get it. I’m hoping it will be a nice surprise once everyone else finds out when it’s time to go to the beach and pool again,” Rey explained, pulling her shirt down and returning their entwined hands back to her side. 

Kylo felt honored to be the first to know about Rey’s previously unrevealed body modification and found it adorable that she cared about the little critters so much that she had forever imprinted them on her skin. He wanted to place a kiss on the bee to thank it for their secret. “I love it, it looks good,” Kylo responded. “I’m touched to be chosen as the privileged one who got to see it first. In appreciation, I’ll buy you anything you want from this stall _right now_.” 

Rey looked up at him, beaming, “Really? That’s so nice, Kylo. We can get something to share.” She went and grabbed a package with honeycomb in it and raised her eyebrows at Kylo, nudging his arm with her nose in a playful manner since her hands were otherwise occupied, “A sweet treat for my sweet treat.” 

Kylo laughed with her at her declaration, taking the package from her so he could pay for it (he had summoned himself a black limitless card a while back, figuring he shouldn’t have to worry about money as he attempted to woo Rey and knowing full well that money was no concern to a demon like him), but was inwardly bursting with joy and preening from the attention he was receiving. _Not just any sweet treat,_ my _sweet treat._

The two grabbed spoons on their way out to eat the honeycomb and made their way out into the street. Kylo had suggested going for a walk before they parted ways, and Rey decided she would lead him to Love Park, which was only a few minutes walk from where they were. Rey switched her position from holding Kylo’s hand to linking their arms together so she could better huddle up to him against the cold wind that had picked up during their lunch. Rey relished in being able to snuggle up against his arm, made especially inviting by the soft feel of the sweater and Kylo’s wonderful smelling cologne, not to mention the way Kylo melted into her touch as if he had never felt anything better. 

They ate their honeycomb, talked, and laughed as they walked arm in arm towards the park, and Kylo couldn’t help but notice how appropriate it was that they were headed to _Love_ Park at the same time that he was very much headed towards the very same four letter word with Rey. Even though it had only been a short time (only a little over a week), Kylo was sure he had never felt this way about someone before - be it mortal or supernatural - and he would wait patiently until Rey felt the same for him. The way things were going, he hoped it wouldn’t be long now.

  
  



	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here... (*throws out hands*) have some fluff and flirting and warm feelings! It's been a long week, so why not wrap it up with some feel good energy? Also we finally get a mention of Hux!
> 
> Thank you for reading!!

Since their lunch date on Sunday, Kylo made it a point to go visit Rey at the First Order as often as possible to “read his book” and “try new beverages”. He was glad the book he had chosen was quite lengthy, well over five hundred pages of small print, so he could pop in there for more than just a little while as he used his reading as an excuse to talk to and flirt with Rey. Sure, he could see her whenever he wanted to thanks to his concealment charm, but talking to her was so much more  _ fun _ , and it honestly made him feel less like a creeper stalker. While Kylo missed his all day play time with Chewie, he was sure that Chewie wouldn’t mind making up for lost time when their movie night rolled up on Saturday (and it wasn’t as if he didn’t get to play with Kylo whenever he wasn’t busy trying to woo Rey). 

This late afternoon was Thursday and Kylo was busy trying to figure out his next course of action given that his fail safe excuse of reading his book was slowly but surely coming to an end. Maybe he would take up another book or take to doing some more specifically “human” activities like getting overly invested in a magazine or newspaper. Not that Rey couldn’t see right through his half assed excuse anyway. And not that it seemed to matter to her that he would come almost daily to visit her at work, if even for a short amount of time. Rey had even become quite fond of flexing her barista muscles and showing off for him, going as far as to make his favorite dessert into a coffee - a ridiculously sweet but absolutely delicious white mocha chocolate raspberry coffee. She truly was going to single-handedly be the cause of his new sweet tooth. 

As he thought about his next venture, debating on whether reading human magazines would enlighten him further on mortal affairs or “humanize” him perhaps a bit too much for his liking (he had become quite fond of  _ Rolling Stone _ and  _ The New Yorker),  _ he made his way into the shop and spotted Poe working the counter. 

Throughout his brief time visiting the First Order, Kylo had buddied up to Rey’s co-workers and while doing so he made his best effort to be as friendly as possible. In reality, Kylo would rather visit Hell’s less charming areas reserved for the worst wayward souls than have idle chit chats with people he didn’t care about, but this was Rey he was pursuing and she was a family woman through and through - meaning that if Rey cared about them, Kylo  _ had _ to at least  _ pretend  _ to care about them. So, begrudgingly, Kylo put his best foot forward and turned up his devilish charm to the highest degree, especially wherever Poe was involved. 

“Hey, Poe, nice haircut! With that new look you might get some unwelcome advances… Better put up a warning sign next time that the baristas are just as  _ too hot to handle _ as the coffees,” Kylo joked with his best toothy grin. 

“You know, if I wasn’t involved elsewhere and didn’t quite obviously bat for the other team, I would definitely be hitting you up, Ren… you terrible flirty fiend, you.” Poe regarded Kylo with a wink.  _ Maybe too much charm, Ren _ , Kylo reflected with more than mild amusement. 

Kylo shrugged as if feigning innocence. “Maybe in another life, Poe. But as it is now, you are otherwise entangled and I am busy trying to catch a certain lady’s attention. Where’s Rey at, by the way?” 

“She’s in the back office trying to get some of our more business-y stuff together. It’s almost the end of the month so bills have to be paid, inventory has to be done, and things have to get ordered. Especially as we move further into the holiday season. Usually we switch off every month and unluckily for her she gets October and December. But I get Black Friday, so who is the real winner, am I right?” Poe answered, motioning to a closed door that was to the side and behind him. Kylo made a mental note to research Black Friday, pretty sure that it wasn’t anything as gruesome as what he was picturing in his mind. 

“Can’t tell for sure. Thanks, Poe. I’ll give her a text and see if I’m welcome to intrude or if she needs some quiet. Also, can I have a chai latte?” Kylo asked as he put down a twenty, Poe knowing by now that Kylo would refuse the change if Poe tried to give it back to him. Kylo had tried putting bigger bills down before but registered quickly that it made them wildly uncomfortable, so he settled for the highest bill he could offer without later finding the change tucked into his dog-eared page in his book. Twenty seemed to be just about the limit, especially since he only ever bought a drink or pastry at a time and ordered several times while he was there. 

Kylo waited for his latte and for Poe to hand him his novel that was always tucked safely behind the counter before heading off to one of the sitting chairs, setting the drink before him on the table and settling into the chair with one leg crossing over the other. He just barely fit into the chair, angling himself to be as small as possible. 

Kylo had begun to find that most furniture could scarcely contain his large body, and he vowed that if he ever got back to Hell and found a furniture designer in its depths that he would go above and beyond in making their time there miserable. While he wasn’t usually one to torture souls, it was a job for lesser demons that took the time to study humans and their psychology (and not to mention that Hell was much more than just a place of punishment), Kylo would find the time in his busy schedule to dedicate to the worthy cause. 

As he sunk deeper into the chair in an attempt to get comfortable, Kylo typed out a message to Rey.  **Hey. At First Order. Poe told me you were working in the back. Up for some company?**

It was some time later, when Kylo had finally begun to feel somewhat cozy as he finished up his book, before he was happily interrupted by an incoming message (Rey was the only one who had his number anyway, so he never minded when his phone went off).  **Yes, please. Today has been awful. Come cheer me up!**

While Kylo gathered his things, his phone vibrated again. He smiled when he read it:  **And bring a chocolate muffin! Or two. I haven’t had time to stop for food.**

***

Kylo walked in on a very distressed Rey, slouched over the desk of the office with papers sprawled about everywhere. He found himself entertained by the fact that she was a disorganized worker, and wondered what her room looked like compared to the rest of the house. He had yet to take a peek, hoping that she would invite him in one day herself. 

The office gave off a similar vibe to the rest of the store, with exposed brick, a window, some plants, and wooden floors. There was a desk in the middle with two plush chairs on the opposite side of it and shelves on the far wall that were mostly filled with plants and knick knacks rather than books. A large rug covered most of the floor and the window let in plenty of natural light, making for a pleasant atmosphere, much like the general environment outside. Kylo felt like he was nestled snugly in a den-like place, and was almost impressed that Rey could get any work done without falling asleep on one of the sofa chairs. 

“You look chipper,” Kylo teased as he closed the door behind him and offered up the two chocolate muffins and a dirty chai latte to Rey. 

Rey glared at him as she swiped a muffin and immediately stuffed it into her mouth, coughing a little at the amount she had bitten off. Kylo chuckled at her aggressive take down of the food, but felt oddly pleased that she wasn’t trying to be proper or dainty around him. Kylo was glad that she felt at ease enough around him to just be herself. Rey swallowed thickly before replying, “I’d like to see what  _ you _ look like buried under expense and inventory reports.” 

“Maybe I can help?” Kylo offered. 

“Mmm… maybe…” Rey contemplated as she wiped crumbs off her hand and went on to shuffle some papers around. Kylo watched her intently, wanting more than anything to be of service for her. He had already made sure that the dirty chai latte she was partial to had been laced with a charm to help her become more focused, efficient, and calm. It was the least he could do, after all, at least until he fully revealed himself and the ring’s true purpose. 

Rey eventually surrendered to his helping hand despite her hesitancy and grumbling about how he shouldn’t worry and he should just relax, allowing him to take over inventory and stock, explaining to him how to catalog everything so that she could then take care of the ordering process. Kylo felt honored that she trusted him to help with the process, especially since it had only really been less than a week since they had actually met each other face-to-face. Kylo plopped down on one of the lounge chairs, smiling to himself when he realized this might be the first time he felt like he fit into a sitting space at the First Order. Even the long booth with several tables was a tad confining for a demon of his stature. 

“What are you smirking at?” Rey’s voice rang out as she peered at him past some documents. 

“Nothing. Just excited that I can finally fit into one of your chairs.” Kylo laughed. 

Rey narrowed her eyes at him before answering, “Got a problem with my seating arrangements out there, big guy?” 

“Not really. It just takes some adjusting to fit into all your homunculus sized furniture.” Kylo bit back with a wink. 

“Sorry that we didn’t design the First Order with giants in mind.” Rey let out an exasperated sigh, but smiled to let him know she was only teasing. 

“Well, if I’m gonna be sticking around maybe you can  _ reconsider _ whenever you decide to re-decorate next.” Kylo replied before answering, “I’ll even  _ buy _ a chair if you promise to stick it somewhere out there for me.” 

“ _ Kylo Whatever-Your-Middle-Name-Is Ren _ . You will not be buying me furniture. I’ll buy you one come Black Friday. I’ve been meaning to put some cozy chairs out among the shelves in the corners, anyway. We keep getting more and more people that stay and read to keep out from the cold and I want them to have more options among the shelves than just the reading nooks.” Rey chastised as Kylo once again wondered what in the world Black Friday could mean and what it had to do with buying furniture. 

Despite his bewilderment, Kylo responded with a simple, “Jacen.” 

“What?” Rey asked, confused as to what he could be talking about. She didn’t understand what he had said, and it didn’t even sound like he had spoken english to her. 

“Jacen,” Kylo repeated. “My middle name. Kylo Jacen Ren Skywalker.”

“Well, aren’t you Mister Fancy with all those names? Where did the name Skywalker come from? You sound like European royalty or something. You’re not, are you?” Rey questioned with a wave of her hands. 

“It’s a family name. And, no, I’m not European royalty, Rey.” Kylo responded with a laugh.  _ I’m not lying. I’m not  _ European  _ royalty, but I am  _ royalty _. I wonder what she’ll think when she realizes she’s hanging out with the King of the Underworld, the Prince of Darkness, the Immortal Ruler of Hell?  _ Kylo frowned slightly at the thought, wondering what she  _ would _ think. He had gotten so wrapped up in this week with her that he had moments where he forgot the real reason he had even found Rey in the first place. He didn’t think he could stand to be rejected by her when she found out. And it was inevitable that she would, plus he would want to use the ring’s power to please her and that couldn’t be done outright unless she knew the power she held. His sensing of her desires and making those wishes come true could only go so far before he would need her verbal commands to achieve things for her - and he wanted to give her  _ everything _ , even the smallest desires that couldn’t be voiced over the bond. Kylo tucked this train of thought away into a corner of his mind, swearing that he would revisit it when it was more appropriate and he had gained more of Rey’s trust. For now she could just know him as Kylo Jacen Ren of the Skywalker family. 

“Okay, just checking. Don’t think I didn’t see that black card the other day, Mister Fancy Pants Ren.” she poked, grinning. 

“Oh,” Kylo chuckled, becoming more than aware that his ability to summon infinites amounts of currency was more than just a little abnormal. “My business is pretty lucrative and we invest a lot. We… uh… We are really into diversifying our portfolio - we kind of have our hands in everyone’s pocket, if you know what I mean. How do you think I could afford taking so much time off for this little retreat I was forced to take?” 

“Well, you might just have to teach me a little about investing. First Order’s doing well now but if I ever want to retire in this economy then I should probably start tucking more away and doing something with it. I have some investments but I don’t think nearly enough.” Rey reflected out loud as her mind wandered elsewhere. 

_ I’m gonna take that as a call to action,  _ Kylo mused, making sure that with just a twitch of his hand her investments were now in the most capable hands that could be found in this world and where they would do more than earn her a pretty penny.  _ She’s going to wake up to a nice surprise when she gets those reports back.  _ He also added in a little extra to “cushion the investment”, figuring it wouldn’t hurt if her returns were even more profitable. After all, what was he going to do with the money anyway if not to help out  _ his _ sweet Rey? 

“Seems like a fair trade. Investment and savings advice in exchange for all the enlightenment you’ve given me regarding traditions and whatnot. Speaking of which, someone has really got to tell me what the fuck a  _ Black Friday _ is. It sounds ominous and it’s already the second time I’ve heard someone say it today.” he said as Rey’s jaw dropped.

“Kylo, I swear to God you’re just pulling my leg now.” Rey guffawed.  _ Goddess actually, but it’s just grammar, really,  _ Kylo corrected in his mind. 

When Rey concluded that Kylo wasn’t kidding she stood up from her desk chair, almost knocking over her nearly finished chai latte in the process, as she blurted out in excitement, “ _ Kylo. Ky-lo.  _ Oh my gosh. It’s just  _ the best and biggest _ night of the year for us folk consumed with capitalism and materialism. It starts on Thanksgiving night and runs to the next day, sometimes including weekend deals and Cyber Monday, and it has the best deals of the year. You can get things for dirt cheap. It’s criminal. And like, actually kind of dangerous. People get trampled, Kylo. Legit  _ trampled.”  _

Kylo briefly looked into Rey’s mind, shifting through her memories of previous Black Fridays and news related to them, captivated by what he saw. He saw people brawling over items, others crying, and some even tragically meeting their end. Human greed was truly fascinating. “Sounds like a  _ trip _ ,” was all Kylo could answer in response. 

“You have no idea,” Rey gulped, her eyes wide. “I would be more than happy to introduce you to that world, Kylo. Who knows, you can even wrestle someone for me if they have something I want.” she added with a quick wink. Kylo laughed and assured her he would be more than happy to beat an old lady away with a stick if he had to, and they soon returned to their mountain of work once they were done teasing each other. 

Though Kylo focused on doing as Rey said he should for the inventory list, his mind couldn’t help wandering back to that outrageous shopping holiday. Black Friday almost sounded like an event his demons had put into someone’s mind long ago, and he wondered which one of them was responsible for it. Probably Hux. He loved to toy with material wealth and the mortal’s love for it the most, having been one of the main perpetrators behind the obscene wealth and sin offered by what was known as the roaring 20s, which had led to a ridiculous amount of people being added to the eternally naughty list. 

Kylo had already been imprisoned to the ring by then (knowing only of Hux’s involvement because he was his brother-in-law and visited him every couple of decades since his confinement given that Lilith was too busy with taking over his job), under the rule of a different master that took full advantage of his powers. Kylo made sure his then-master’s desires led him to an early death when he quickly made him understand material goods did not equal happiness or love. It wasn’t his proudest moment or the most fun he had had messing with someone who wore his ring, but he truly and especially had not cared for that particular owner and so was happy when he was inherited to someone else who he could have a more pleasant time infuriating as he twisted all their yearnings into undesirable things through some word play and selective hearing. Not that he had to worry about how to cleverly get out of his ring’s master’s commands now. For Rey he would gladly do anything and everything. It was a welcome reprieve to just be able to do as someone wanted without having to think of a way out or an unpleasant alternative (unpleasant to the human, more than pleasant to him). 

Before his disordered thoughts could distract him further, Kylo did a quick google search on his phone and found that Black Friday as it was popularly known as today was established around the 1950s and 60s, meaning that he probably hadn’t heard much about it because it was soon after that he had ended up in that damn thrift store. He filed that information away, knowing that when Hux visited him next he would have to ask him if the holiday was his doing. Kylo briefly allowed himself to miss Hux and Lilith (having not seen Hux since the 1930s and having not seen Lilith since he was first locked away and bound to the ring in the 1300s), but then shoved that feeling down in favor of his delight at being with Rey. What were a few centuries away from family when you lived an eternity? And what was family when you could have possibly found the love of your immortal life?  _ Love _ ,  _ now  _ that’s _ an unfamiliar feeling,  _ Kylo considered as he shook away jumbled mess of new emotions in an effort to concentrate on his task at hand once more. 

As he poured over the spreadsheets and documents, the activity taking them well into the evening, Kylo realized all too late that he could speed up this process with a well placed charm or two, so he did just that. In a few seconds, he and Rey’s work was done, proofread, spellchecked, and absolutely perfect. The way he cast the spell made it so Rey would not notice how her work had miraculously finished right before her eyes, and so instead of a shocked shriek, all he heard from the opposite side of the desk was a content sigh as Rey gathered up the papers. 

“All that’s left is just to order whatever we are missing based on your inventory and stock list, which I can do quickly tomorrow. It’s already past five after all. Thank you for your help, Kylo. With you here it took way less than half the time.” she said to him, an appreciative smile on her lips.  _ Those damn tempting lips.  _

“It’s my pleasure, Rey. Join me for dinner?” Kylo offered. 

“You just helped me with a shit ton of work, so - uh -  _ yeah _ , I’ll do  _ anything _ you want right now.” Rey laughed. Kylo couldn’t help but smirk at her phrasing of  _ anything he wanted _ . If only she knew  _ just how much _ he wanted from her. 

“Perfect. I know this good pizza place that serves slices the size of your goddamn face and it’s good as hell, too.” Kylo said, knowing full well he had taken the location idea from the delivery menu stuck to Rey’s fridge. 

“Are you talking about Jabba’s Pizza Hut? It’s my  _ favorite. _ ” Rey gushed, instantly perking up after feeling more than tired from her long day. 

“What a coincidence,” Kylo whispered, trying to keep his sly smile in check. 

As they gathered their things and Rey bid goodbye to BB (First Order closed later in the evening), Kylo couldn’t help but grab her hand, grinning like a fool when she took the extra step to interlace their fingers as they walked out to their destination. He gave her hand a squeeze as his mind wandered off to thoughts of what Saturday’s double feature date night could bring him when just a simple work day with Rey could already offer him so much joy. 

  
  



	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's date night! Woo woo!! Let's see how it goes for our love birds ;)

It was finally Saturday afternoon, her first official date night with Kylo Ren, the man Rey had to constantly will her thoughts away from, and she could not be more nervous. She wanted this to be perfect, and she wanted tonight to be the night that she made it clear to him what she was looking for: exclusivity and commitment. Hopefully that didn’t have him running for the hills the second it was voiced out loud. 

Rey set about cleaning her house the minute she woke up, making sure that everything was spic and span, even dusting off or organizing areas that Kylo wouldn’t even necessarily see. When it came closer to six when he would arrive for dinner, she would light some candles or incense to make sure that the space smelled amazing. For now, she sprayed down her couch with a room spray that smelled of cedar, clove, tobacco leaves, leather and amber. It was her favorite scent for when she wanted everything to smell clean yet inviting and comforting, and it had the added bonus of smelling like fall nights with good looking men in motorcycle jackets. 

It was around 2:00 pm now and Rey wasn’t sure what to do with her time. It was too early to start cooking and too early to do all her finishing touches. Rey looked over at Chewie who was sitting on his haunches, attacking a rubber toy with no remorse as he struggled to get the peanut butter out of the inner compartment. She decided that a walk to burn off some of his energy would do both of them some good. Rey called Chewie over and clipped him into his harness, determining that she could stop by the local nursery to pick up some flowers to liven up the space and also have an excuse to talk to Finn to calm her jittery nerves. 

***

Kylo awoke to the noise of a vacuum. He sprung upright, whipping his head to the side to figure out the source of that monstrous sound. His annoyed expression turned into one of satisfaction when he spied Rey in her pajamas, hair in a bun with a headband, charcoal face mask on, furiously going about and cleaning her apartment. It made something inside of Kylo warm and expand to see her going through such efforts to please and impress him. Hell, he could  _ feel _ through the bond just how much she  _ wanted _ him to enjoy himself tonight and appreciate her space. 

It was then that Kylo decided he would have to lay claim to her tonight. He would have to let her know he was in it,  _ all in _ and  _ only _ for her. There wasn’t anyone else he would rather be with, he couldn’t even imagine being with anyone else or wanting anyone else. And he certainly couldn’t think of a single time he had felt any of the emotions he felt for Rey and she had only stumbled upon him in the thrift store a mere two weeks ago. It was time to let her know his  _ devotion _ to her.  _ In perhaps slightly less intense terms,  _ Kylo chuckled to himself. He didn’t want her running for the hills, after all. He needed her to stick around and finally,  _ officially _ , become  _ his. _

Gathering his wits about him and with what few coherent thoughts he could string together as his onslaught of emotions raged within him, Kylo made the decision to leave the apartment until he could pop back just outside and knock on her door at six. He wanted to be properly surprised at what Rey was cooking up, wanting his reaction to be genuine as he stepped through the threshold of her door later tonight. 

Given his limited options of where he could go due to the limitations of the ring, Kylo figured he could finish his book at the First Order as he waited. It was either that or loiter around Rey’s favorite Trader Joe’s or the gym for hours, or worse, one of her friends' houses. There weren’t too many places that Rey frequented, meaning that his choices for places to transport to weren’t expansive since he could only go wherever she was or wherever she went to often enough to leave imprints. It briefly flashed through his mind just how much of a homebody Rey was. Not that he minded at all. More to keep for himself once he got her to commit to him. 

Kylo dressed himself in the concealed clothes he had placed around her house, summoning them instead of retrieving them so that Rey wouldn’t see her blanket basket being jostled around or things moving around her house without explanation. He settled on a simple black turtleneck with black pants - he was going to freshen up before the date and make sure he tidied himself up with a good charm or two. Kylo Ren needed to make an impression tonight and he wasn’t going to miss his mark. 

He went off to the First Order, keeping himself concealed so that whoever was working didn’t see him spending his whole day there. It would seem odd, especially since if he were human he would be at home getting ready or be literally anywhere else. Kylo summoned his copy of  _ Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures _ after concealing it as well - he was almost done, having all but finished it before helping Rey on Thursday, once more back to his dilemma as to what literature to settle on next. Kylo pushed the thought aside, choosing to deal with it when he actually finished his book, and set off in search of a secluded corner where he would most likely be undisturbed until it came time to go back home.  _ Home _ . He hadn’t thought of anywhere else as home since leaving Hell, and he couldn’t bite back the grin that surfaced when he realized wherever Rey was was his new  _ home,  _ and not just a place he dwelled in. 

***

Rey came back to her apartment around 4:30 p.m. with a centerpiece bouquet of white roses, olive branches, eucalyptus and fall leaves that Finn had specifically gotten together for her after her long nervous rant. She was thankful that Finn was a great listener and always made her feel more calm when she vented to him. 

Finn had assured her that the date would go smoothly, though he was initially surprised at her mini freak out session considering that she had only been talking to Kylo for about a week. In all the years Finn had known Rey, he had never seen her so flustered over a date and he was excited that Rey seemed to be eagerly diving back into the dating pool after a long lull. She deserved the best, and Kylo seemed like a decent person from what Poe had told him, even if Finn was half convinced that Poe was in love with Kylo himself by the way he told such stories. If he wasn’t so secure in his relationship and so aware of his partner’s flirty nature, Finn would even find it in himself to be jealous. 

Once he realized what a special date it was for Rey and how excited she was, he handpicked a dinner centerpiece for her, making sure it was both beautiful and fragrant. He then sent her off with it and some calming parting words, hoping that her nerves were assuaged from their interaction. 

Rey was now back home and ready to cook dinner and snacks. She planned on having some crackers with olive tapenade and hummus to dip, brie and jam spread on crostini, bacon wrapped asparagus, and some caprese skewers. For dinner she was putting together pan seared teriyaki salmon over brown and wild rice with mixed vegetables. Rey knew she was slightly over doing it with all of her cooking and appetizers, but dammit if she wasn’t going to find her way into Kylo’s heart through his stomach. If it was a popular enough saying then there was probably a shred of truth to it. She was more than sure she was a good cook, and she wasn’t afraid to pull out all the stops to impress him tonight. Plus, it gave them plenty to snack on before, during, and after the movie. 

Rey busied herself with getting all her ingredients together and preheating the oven, as she hummed along to some Various Cruelties and The Temper Trap playlist she had put on. As she cooked and set everything out, she made sure to light a nice fall-scented candle on the table next to the floral arrangement and another one over by the couch. She had also set up a projector screen and her projector, an extra indulgence she had allowed herself when Poe and Finn had moved in together close enough that they were over frequently for movie nights. Rey didn’t always go through the effort of setting it up, but when she did it added an extra oomph-factor that she was sure would give her an extra edge tonight. After some internal debate, she went on to add some good old-fashioned mood lighting with the addition of string lights, calling Rey back to her college days and decorating her dorm room in a similar manner. She couldn’t help it if a string of lights or two really enhanced a room - who cared if it was tacky and overdone at this point. Rey was already trying too hard, might as well go overboard. 

Before she knew it, dinner time was rolling around. All of her food was almost finished and she had laid out the appetizers along the kitchen counter and brought the pan of salmon and vegetables along with the pot of brown and wild rice over to the table. Rey brought out some wine and champagne as well, though it wasn’t anything too fancy in that department. She also had some beers in stock in case Kylo turned out to be more of a beer guy than a wine guy. If there was one thing Rey was good at, it was being over prepared in most cases. She was someone who liked to be in control, and there was no better way to do that than to always be ready for any situation. 

Rey had already texted Kylo her address and so now the waiting game started. She went into her room to change and then the bathroom to freshen up, before returning to the common area where she filled her glass with some white wine and settled into her couch, swiping a bacon wrapped asparagus to nibble on anxiously. Chewie came over to her and sat in front of her with his head on her lap. Rey would have liked to think it was in a comforting gesture, but she knew better and discerned that her food was his main focus. Rey took a deep swig of her wine as she eyed Chewie suspiciously over the brim of the winglass. 

When Kylo finally knocked on her door right at 6:00 p.m., Rey almost dropped her glass with how tense she was feeling. It was officially date time. 

***

Once he got to Rey’s door, Kylo quickly waved a hand over his body to clean and freshen up, making sure to envision perfectly soft wavy hair for his magic makeover. Kylo was thankful more than ever for his supernatural abilities, knowing that he looked  _ good. _ Devilishly so, even. 

Taking a deep breath, Kylo knocked firmly and waited. Rey opened a few seconds later, greeting him and letting him inside. Kylo had to keep his reaction under control when he took in her appearance. She was wearing a light tan gingham-patterned mini skirt with a small slit on the side, and an extra large fuzzy mocha brown sweater tucked half in. Her hair was in a weird three bun style, but Kylo thought it suited her. She was wearing soft-looking knee high socks that were the same color as her sweater, foregoing any shoes considering that she was inside. Rey looked cute but comfortable, and Kylo just wanted to pick her up and hug her. The skirt was definitely not helping Kylo’s growing need to touch her - showing off her long golden legs. 

“You clean up nice, Rey. The place looks great, as well.” Kylo said as she ushered him further inside, Chewie immediately bringing it upon himself to give Kylo an overly excited greeting, wiggling so much Kylo could barely pet him. 

“Thanks, Kylo. Same can be said for you. The cleaning up thing. Not the place thing. Obviously… because we are at my place.” Rey rambled. She scanned her eyes over her wriggling whining pup as she continued, “Chewie here seems to really have taken a liking to you. I swear, it’s almost like he’s met you before. He is never  _ this _ enthusiastic about new people… Anyway, can I get you anything to drink?” 

“I guess I just made good first impressions,” Kylo replied with a wink. “And whatever you’re having is fine,” he added, taking in more of his surroundings. He laughed when he saw the astronomical amount of appetizers and food set out before them in the kitchen and on the table. “Are you feeding an army? I thought this was supposed to be a date with just us?”

Rey brought him a glass of white wine and swatted his shoulder playfully. “Rude! Here I am, just trying to make sure we have enough snacks for the whole night. We  _ are _ watching two movies you know. And I’m a stress eater when I watch scary movies.” 

“Well, good thing I’m built like a fucking tank and I brought my insatiable appetite. But… I thought you said the scary movie tradition was on the actual holiday of Halloween and that these were more family friendly?” Kylo teased. 

“ _ Hey!  _ Don’t use my words against me. And Beetlejuice is it’s own monster of a movie, trust me,” Rey chided. 

The two settled into easy conversation as they ate and talked, finding themselves swept up into their tangents and getting to know each other. Kylo had never been the type of demon to open up or offer up information about himself, but with Rey he found himself wanting to tell her everything - about all his hijinks as the devil, including “The Big Oops” that had landed him in his current situation. He could tell her so many stories about how people had changed over time, about the different creatures that occupied the different realms, about how  _ wrong _ humans had it when it came to the afterlife. There was so much information he held and so much knowledge he could share. This feeling of wanting to share himself with somebody so intimately, to give them private details about his life, was almost uncomfortable with how new it was and how raw it felt. 

Kylo also wanted to take anything that Rey was willing to give him. He greedily gobbled up stories about her childhood - about how she had once called her local fire department because she was home alone with Poe while their parents were out but he was asleep and she had just felt so lonely, about how she learned to cook because her mom was sick and her dad was always taking care of her so she took over the duty, about how her favorite type of plant was a calathea. Kylo couldn’t get enough. Even the simplest most seemingly boring details were like treasures to him. He couldn’t believe she was sharing so much willingly, with  _ him. _ Someone who was feared ( _ irrationally,  _ might he add) by the mortal population. Someone who had given up long ago on finding any being that would make him feel alive in more than just the ways his job somewhat fulfilled him - but really,  _ truly _ alive. 

***

Rey couldn’t even blame her second cup of white wine for her loose tongue tonight. She couldn’t stop blabbering about anything and everything. Kylo seemed to want to know everything about her, and not just in that  _ “I’m-just-trying-to-get-into-your-pants” _ way but in an  _ “I-actually-care-and-want-to-know” _ way. He made it so easy - leaning in with a smile, eyes big and shining, nodding enthusiastically with his pupils wide. Rey answered all of his questions, holding nothing back and feeling herself slip into tangents every so often. Rey had never shared this much with anyone so quickly, but she just couldn’t help herself. It almost made her feel slightly self conscious about dominating the conversation, except for the fact that Kylo didn’t seem to mind and usually steered the conversation back to her. 

Rey had figured out by now that Kylo was a private person, though he seemed to offer as much as his seemingly shy nature allowed. He continued to be vague about certain topics, such as his work and business, and his home life, but she chalked it up to him still being slightly upset about being put on mandatory leave. As the night progressed, Rey couldn’t believe she had lucked out with Kylo at exactly the right time. She had a sense he didn’t date around much, and he had hinted as much, as well as to his workaholic nature. Rey was sure if it had been any other time she had set up her dating profile, that if Kylo had been swept up in work, he would have never connected with her or even made a profile in the first place. She thanked whatever deities wanted to listen to her tonight for aligning their paths just right. 

***

Once they were finished with dinner, Kylo helped Rey move their copious amounts of snacks over to the couch. He admired the projector set-up and voiced his approval out loud to which Rey responded with, “I have my few indulgences - too many plants, a good shower and bathtub, and a projector screen for some epic movie nights.” And Kylo was more than sure that this movie night would indeed be  _ epic _ in his eyes. It already was, anyway, and they hadn’t even started the movies yet. 

They settled into the L-shaped couch with Kylo laid out on the chaise sectional and Rey on the sofa part. Rey had strategically placed herself so she could slowly inch her way over to Kylo, eventually hoping her head would find a place on his shoulder. Where she was now was close enough that when she settled in more and got cozy she was bound to sink into the couch and cuddle into Kylo’s side. Kylo could feel just how much Rey wanted him tonight and it made him want to explode. Instead of exploding though, Kylo took a chance just as the first movie started. The lights were dimmed, the movie was playing, and it was now or never - or at least that’s what his irrational Rey-muddled mind thought. He could feel his logical side slowly losing control the longer the night went on. 

In a daring act (or at least it felt that way to him), Kylo wrapped his arms around Rey’s huddled, blanketed form and scooped her up so she was right against his side on the chaise sectional. Kylo grabbed her legs and swung them across his own stretched out ones so that she was almost on his lap, but not quite, and kept his arm around her shoulder, using a gentle hand to guide her head to find purchase on his chest as a pillow. He was finally able to let out a breath when he saw her sigh contentedly and wriggle her way deeper into his hold.  _ Definitely kitten-like _ , Kylo thought as he resisted an urge to pet her head _.  _ If his body could have absorbed her, Kylo was sure he would have let it happen. 

***

When Kylo’s strong arms and big, beautiful hands carefully nestled Rey into her new spot cuddled up beside him, Rey was pretty sure her soul left her body. She was so close to him - enveloped by his scent, arms wrapped around his warm body, cheek nuzzling into his warm turtleneck. She could feel his heartbeat, a little fast but soothing all the same, especially since it was a small confirmation that her nervousness was not one sided. 

As the movie rolled forward, Rey reflected on the themes in it.  _ Beetlejuice _ was not strictly a romantic movie (not in the traditional sense, though Rey felt an argument could be said in favor of it) it was starting to hold an extra romantic meaning for her tonight. Barbara and Adam’s everlasting love for each other, able to cross and survive the boundary beyond death, seemed particularly inspired as Rey watched on. She wanted a love like that. Maybe she was beginning to find a love like that. Rey silently willed her mind to focus solely on the movie, feeling that if she let her train of thought go where it wanted to tonight that she was surely going to be in a heap of trouble if this ended in any other way other than forever. 

***

Kylo tried his damnedest to pay attention to the movies. He knew this was one of Rey’s favorite traditions - endless Halloween movie marathons before the big day - and he knew Rey held these two particular movies close to her heart. But Kylo couldn’t concentrate on anything other than Rey with how close she was. He was already having to hold back from his intense feelings, urges, and inner hurricane of emotions - willing himself to think of anything that could potentially ease his situation. Hell, he even summoned thoughts of what Hux would look like as an old man (if he could age) or of his mom. Nothing helped. Rey was just too much. Kylo had never felt so much. Is this what it felt like? It was a delicious form of torture. Kylo felt like an addict, and he knew that he needed a bigger dose of Rey or he would surely wither away. 

***

By the time the movies ended, Rey was making soft breath-y snoring noises, having fallen asleep soon after  _ The Nightmare Before Christmas _ began. Kylo didn’t want to wake her. He just wanted to stare at her sleeping form forever. She looked so peaceful - her radiant light was softer and gentler, and the little noises she was making made Kylo want to squeeze her tight and never let go. He felt like a total creep just staring at her long after the movie ending sequence had finished, so he brushed her hair tenderly with his fingers, whispering to rouse her, “Rey? Sweetheart?”

Rey shifted, but instead of waking up fully, she hugged tighter to Kylo’s form and buried herself deeper into his side. Kylo chuckled at her before placing his hand on her shoulder and softly shaking her in an attempt to rouse her. “Rey, you shouldn’t sleep on the couch. It’s not good for your back,” Kylo tried again. He knew plenty about sleeping on this couch, considering that he had been sleeping here for two weeks now - not that Rey knew any better. 

Rey opened one eye and looked up at him. Kylo had a small smile on his face, beaming down at her. He couldn’t help it. There was no hiding the emotion behind his eyes, even if he tried his best to school the rest of his face into submission. It was too soon for all of the feelings he was feeling. Even with his limited (read: nonexistent) experience surrounding relationships, he knew that Hux and Lilith had courted for decades and that humans courted sometimes for up to years. Either way you looked at it - two weeks (with only one of them being official) were not sufficient to have developed these feelings, yet here he was. 

He blinked down at his sleepy little kitten, all curled up and ready to doze off again. He couldn’t let her sleep here, though, he was adamant about that. “Hey, sweetheart. We really need to get you to bed.” 

“What if I don’t want to?” Rey huffed, forcing her other eye open and trying to stretch in an effort to wake up. 

“Well, that’s just too bad now, isn’t it?” Kylo retorted. All of a sudden he collected her in his arms once more, standing himself up with Rey in his hold, and began to bridal carry her to her room. 

“Kylo! Are you kidding me? It was a joke. Put me down!” Rey laughed, too tired to really fight but just awake enough to feel ridiculous about her situation, even though a part of her couldn’t be too mad. Kylo could feel her merriment through the bond, relaxing after a moment of worry, thinking he had gone too far. The bond radiated only amusement and happiness, so he proceeded towards her room without letting her down. 

He pushed the door open, leaned down with her still in his arms as he pushed back the covers, and then plopped her onto the bed unceremoniously. She bounced slightly from the force of it, giggling. Kylo urged her to lay down and settle in as he tucked her in. He then squatted down so he could be eye-level with his Little One. 

Kylo pushed Rey’s now mussed hair back away from her face and tucked it behind her ear before resting his hand on her cheek and running his thumb across the apple of her cheek. He could see that despite her playfulness a few minutes earlier, she was already slipping back into her sleepiness as she struggled to stay awake for him and take in this intimate moment. Kylo smiled down at her, breaking the silence when he disclosed, “I’ve had a wonderful time tonight, Rey.” 

Rey grinned back at him full-heartedly despite her drowsiness. “I did too, Kylo,” she responded with a small yawn. “We need to do this a million more times.”

“A million?” Kylo questioned with a laugh, removing his hand from her cheek and moving to brush his fingers through her hair. 

“Yes, a million. If you’ll have me. For a million.  _ Exclusively _ ,” she mumbled as she drifted off again to his soothing touch. 

“Exclusively?” he enquired, repeating her words again. 

“Exclusively.” Rey answered resolutely, even though she was almost asleep now and her voice came out as a hushed murmur. Her words weren’t making any sense really, though Kylo could understand her meaning. She wanted him.  _ Exclusively _ .  _ Just them. No one else.  _ She was  _ his. Mine,  _ he thought. 

Even though Kylo could now feel how Rey felt for him through the bond due to her strong feelings the past few times they had been together, it was a whole other feeling to have some sort of confirmation straight from her lips. Just because she wanted him didn’t mean she wanted him exclusively - so to him, hearing those words, they shot straight to his heart and dug deep. Kylo could physically feel his chest puffing up at her words, his body feeling weightless and his head feeling a bit dizzy. Wasn’t the saying that drunk people were the most honest? And weren’t most drunk people just really tired? Kylo was going to take any win he got, so he stored this one away as a victory even though Rey hadn’t been fully conscious when she spoke it so it  _ technically _ didn’t  _ quite _ count - but he wasn’t going to focus on that.

As he stood up and departed from Rey’s now sleeping form, he thought about how he would have to broach the topic again the next time they were together and alone, wanting - no,  _ needing _ \- the affirmation. He  _ needed _ the validation that Rey wanted him as badly as he wanted her (or at least a tenth of how much he wanted her) coming from her own mouth. 

He exited her room, turning off her lights and closing the door, moving to the living room and kitchen area to put everything away. He cast a simple charm to clean everything and put the leftovers in the fridge, and then concealed himself once more, his swift disappearance earning a confused head tilt from Chewie. As Kylo settled onto the couch to sleep he found it evaded him as thoughts of Rey swarmed his mind. He was so close. So close to making her  _ his. _ Next time he wouldn’t hesitate. He’d bring it up right away.  _ Mine _ .  _ No more waiting around, Little One.  _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the DTR is coming soon! I just really love to see Kylo pining away with heart shaped doe eyes. Anyone else?


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 12 is coming to me faster than I thought, so I figured I would post early to motivate me / thank you all for reading!! 
> 
> Summary: I think we all finally get what we want in this chapter ;) 
> 
> Note: If you like gifts and more surprises, please see end notes :)

Rey woke up the next morning confused as to how she got into her own bed after distinctly remembering falling asleep on the couch, and upset at her inability to speak her needs out loud last night. She was still in her clothes from yesterday and they weren’t exactly the most comfortable sleeping attire, not to mention that her hair and face were an absolute mess as well. To top it all off, as she thought back to last night’s events, the ramifications of her not clarifying her desire for an exclusive and official relationship hit her like a truck. It meant that Kylo could be off with some other woman doing god knows what right this very moment. He could have even called someone over the second he left Rey for all she knew. At this realization, Rey grabbed a pillow, put it tightly against her face, and let out a scream. 

She was an idiot. She knew this. A couple of dates and some building tension did not a committed relationship make, and Kylo did not owe her any type of monogamy nor did she expect it when they hadn’t made any clear boundaries, which meant her possessiveness over him was unwarranted. And while a part of her knew she was also being somewhat irrational because the way Kylo talked to her and looked at her seemed to speak volumes (not to mention they had spent a ridiculous amount of time either with each or texting to fill in the gaps while they weren’t physically together this past week), she couldn’t help but feel that someone as good looking and charming as Kylo could really have anyone he wanted (even if he was shy and introverted and didn’t actually seem to like people all that much). And what if he didn’t want her? What if he realized that she wasn’t funny, or a good time, or special? What if he realized she was just a silly 25 year old who hadn’t really ever been in a committed relationship because she wasn’t worth the time? 

_ Where the fuck is all this self-doubt coming from? I am a strong independent woman, and if he doesn’t want me then that’s his loss,  _ Rey thought, trying to comfort and gather herself before her mind went out of control. One side of her knew her spiraling was somewhat due to her hunger to settle down and find someone to love, and also due to the unusually strong and ever mounting emotions she seemed to have towards Kylo.  _ It’s fine. You’re fine. Just meet up with him, DTR the hell out of this relationship, and chill.  _

With her mind finally made up and her thoughts considerably more in check, Rey looked over at the clock to find it was already 10:00 am. She decided this wasn’t too early or desperate of a time to text Kylo, so she shot off a message and hoped for the best.

***

Kylo woke with a start, sitting up on the couch covered in a sheen of sweat. He had never felt something so strongly through the bond before and the feeling almost scared him before he realized what it was. Rey was upset. More than upset. She was sad, confused, and angry. It was rolling off of her in waves and hitting him right in the chest through the bond. He couldn’t quite tell what her anger was directed at, but all Kylo could think about was marching into her room, gathering her into his arms, and soothing her. But he couldn’t do that, so he plopped back down and dragged his hands down his face. Had he messed something up? Done something wrong? Did she not want to be around him anymore? 

He tried to think through the events of last night and couldn’t find where he had gone wrong. Maybe in her sober state she was angry about the man-handling? He knew mortal women of this era were more independent. What was it that the online article had called it? Feminism? Yeah, that was it. Maybe he had overstepped his bounds. Or maybe he hadn’t been straightforward enough with his intentions and now she thought he was a spineless coward. Mortal women were confusing, but he wasn’t about to invade Rey’s privacy and go searching through her mind (even if he desperately wanted to). 

With a huff, Kylo got up from the couch and began to pace around, thinking about how he could ratify this situation. He didn’t like feeling Rey so upset. It was certainly impacting his own mood. Kylo briefly began to wonder if he should be worried about the intensity of the bond lately and about its effect on him. He had never felt someone so vividly before, it was almost like Rey’s emotions were crashing into him lately. What did this mean? Was it because he had feelings for her? Was this something else? He wished he could talk to his mother about it, but he wasn’t about to break his decades long silence and anger towards her at his imprisonment. Though if he hadn’t been bound to the ring he never would have met Rey. These “feelings” were a tricky thing. If Kylo wasn’t so beside himself and happy every time he thought about Rey he would almost find it in himself to be upset at all these emotions. Maybe he could find a way to summon Hux to talk to him about all his “relationship” woes, if they could even be called that. He was overdue for a visit anyway. 

As Kylo followed this new train of thought, his phone vibrated against his thigh. Knowing it could only be from Rey, Kylo quickly fished it out of his pocket and opened the message:  **Hey! Had a great time last night. Sorry for totally falling asleep on you. I somehow ended up fully dressed in my bed at some point, I don’t even know how lol. Anyway… I’m going shopping today for the Halloween party next week. If you want more lessons on the holiday fun, I’d love some company :).**

Ignoring the twinge of sadness in his chest at the thought that Rey didn’t remember sleepily confessing wanting to be exclusively with him, Kylo quickly typed back:  **I’d love nothing more.**

***

A couple of hours later, Kylo and Rey were bundled up and walking out of her apartment, ready to take the train and go shopping. Rey, after putting two and two together, had thanked Kylo for putting all of the food away and cleaning up, offering him tupperware to take home after the day was over, which Kylo politely refused. He did, however, eat some for lunch before they set off on their adventure. Rey had made it clear this was a whole day ordeal and that he would “need his strength”. 

Kylo took Rey’s hand as they walked to the train, stuffing both of their hands together in his pocket to keep them warm from the biting wind. It wasn’t too cold out, but the wind had an edge to it today and it wouldn’t do for Rey to have cold hands if he could help it. Rey looked over at him, her nose and cheeks turning pink, and gave him a big smile as she walked closer to him. Kylo felt as if he was glowing from her proximity, smiling down at her and squeezing her hand. 

As they rode on the train, Kylo kept Rey’s hand in his, unwilling to let go of her for any amount of time. Luckily, Rey didn’t seem to mind. She even used him as support during the bumpy ride, grabbing on to his arm and leaning against his shoulder as they rode in comfortable silence to their destination. 

They arrived at a large, decked out Halloween emporium almost an hour after they had originally set off. Kylo must have been unable to hide his shock at the overwhelming and overstimulating nature of the store as they walked in because Rey giggled as she looked over at him, laughing as she said, “I told you that you needed your strength.”

“Man, you were not kidding. This is insane. I hope you made a list.” Kylo murmured before adding in a more hushed tone, “I hope you have a map.” 

“Don’t be silly. Of course I have a list. Though, honestly, we will probably stray very far from it. I can never contain myself. Ready?” Rey called out, grabbing a cart and already pushing off to go down one of the aisles. Kylo sped up to catch up with her, almost afraid that he would lose her in this mess of lights, colors, and sounds. 

***

The two entertained themselves pressing buttons and seeing different animatronic, holographic, and noise-producing displays in action. Rey grabbed a large ghostly woman that followed your movements with her eyes as she spoke to you, a little girl whose face split open to reveal a bloody monster, and some noise-producers and party lights in the shape of ghosts, pumpkins, and bats for the “ambiance”. Kylo stepped back and admired Rey in her element as she pondered similar looking objects to choose the best one, thought about her decorating scheme, and generally played around with all of the different decorations. He could tell she was having the time of her life and he wished he could bottle up her happiness and keep it forever. He still wasn’t sure why she had been upset this morning, but the thought was definitely far from her mind now. 

Rey grabbed him when they got to an aisle full of small figurines, objects, and trinkets. She held onto his arm as she looked up at him and explained, “This is the Halloween village aisle. Every year I pick three new items to go into my little village. You should pick them out.” 

Kylo looked at Rey, his eyes soft and an easy smile forming on his lips.  _ She wants my input. She wants me to take part in her traditions.  _ “Are you sure? This sounds like a big thing.” Kylo asked. 

Rey nodded enthusiastically. “I want you to! This is an important step in your Halloween education, young padawan.” 

Kylo wrinkled his nose at the reference to a movie series Rey was obsessed with. He had looked it up and it sounded ridiculous, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. Especially when she had told him earlier that week that they could have a weekend marathon some time to watch them all and he wasn’t about to let the opportunity of snuggling with Rey for nine straight movies pass him by. He was willing to suffer through plenty of absurd plot lines if it meant he got to be with her. It couldn’t be worse than his foray into romantic comedies after all. 

“If you say so, Halloween Master Jedi Dameron,” Kylo replied with a small bow as Rey laughed and smacked his chest playfully. 

Kylo led Rey slowly through the Halloween village aisle, putting his hand comfortingly over hers that were still clutching onto his arm. He took his job of picking out the three new additions seriously, making sure to peruse the whole selection before he made his choice. In the end he settled on a haunted movie theater, a skeleton that was handing out purple and orange balloons to a ghost child with a lollipop, and a zombie couple that was walking out of their mausoleum. He made sure to check with Rey that she didn’t have any of the figurines he had picked out at home, to which she assured him that she did not. 

“I love them! You did so well, Kylo! I can’t wait to set up the village. Especially the zombie couple. It just looks like they’re about to take a stroll through the town. Maybe they can even go catch a movie now that there’s a movie theater,” Rey mused happily, obviously pleased by his choices. 

Kylo felt a warm blush come over his face, delighted by her praise and the image of the zombie couple walking around the little village, and before he knew it the words had tumbled from his mouth in a hurried manner, “Willyoubemygirlfriend?”

Rey turned from where she was carefully putting the items into the cart. “What?”

Kylo ran his fingers through his hair before taking a deep breath and repeating more slowly, “Will you be my girlfriend? I want to date you.  _ Be with you. _ Just you. No one else.” 

The seconds between his confession and Rey’s answer seemed to span days. Kylo felt his throat go dry, his heart stop, and his face flush an even deeper pink before he heard the words that made his heart beat again, “I’d love to, Kylo. I don’t want to see anyone else, either.” 

Kylo breathed a sigh of relief and felt his features morph into a toothy grin as he walked the short length between them and gathered Rey into his arms. He looped his hands around her waist after guiding her hands to grab around his neck, and swooped down to kiss her forehead as he pressed her into a tight embrace. Kylo desperately wanted to kiss her on the lips, but he wasn’t sure how comfortable she was with a public display of affection or what level of touchiness she was okay with yet when it came to him. He finally had her all to himself ( _ His. Mine.)  _ and he’d be damned if he ruined it by moving too fast or pushing her to the point where she was uncomfortable. Rey sank into his arms, molding her body to his and letting out a content hum. Kylo was once more overwhelmed with the emotions he felt through the bond, glad that this time they were pleasant and undoubtedly his doing. 

He had to stop himself from letting out a noise of protest when she finally untangled herself from his crushing hold, chastising him for distracting her when they apparently still had a long day ahead of them of more shopping and beginning to decorate. Kylo heard her talking but the sound seemed distant, his mind racing with the thought of one word over and over again:  _ mine.  _

***

By the time they got back to the apartment, Rey had spent more than she had all year just on decorations, food, and snacks. The party wasn’t until Halloween, which was this coming Saturday, and it was only Sunday now, but he knew that decorating her apartment was a full week long ordeal. Luckily this time she had help. When she mentioned needing assistance hanging things up and organizing everything, Kylo had jumped at the chance to spend more time with her. He claimed it was because it would only expand his education on the holiday, but Rey could see in his excited kid-like expression how much he wanted to be around her. Rey had never felt so loved and appreciated.  _ No, not loved. Not yet. It’s too early for that _ , she chided herself. But as she looked over at Kylo’s eager face, she couldn’t help but feel that’s exactly the way they felt towards each other. 

***

They spent the evenings leading up to Halloween stringing lights, hanging flying witches and ghosts, and adorning all available surfaces with decorations. There were moving and interactive animatronics hidden in different corners, with one behind the door in the bathroom that lit up a pirate skeleton looking ghost and wailed when you moved the door. That was one of Rey’s favorites. She said it always gave everyone a good scare, and it had given Kylo just that. Rey had hung it up one evening while Kylo was off picking up last minute snacks at Trader Joe’s, one of the few places he could go by himself without Rey (not that she knew the limits of the ring’s bond). When he had closed the door to relieve himself after too much wine, he had jumped at the sudden noise. Kylo was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t easy to scare a demon, but his Little One had managed to do so twice now. Luckily, this scare was much more enjoyable than the ordeal with Anakin had been. 

Kylo was more than happy to be directed by Rey, taking pleasure from her words of approval as he reached a specific spot that was too high for her or arranged something just right. As the week progressed, he tentatively began to give some input. Kylo’s best idea had been a makeshift photobooth, which was now set up in the corner of the house with black blankets and props in a box, next to a stool where Rey’s computer would sit so that anyone could go and take silly pictures whenever they wanted. He had come up with it late one night as he thought about Rey before drifting off to sleep. Kylo wanted to have something for himself that reminded him of her, even though he could pop in unnoticed whenever he wanted and see the real thing for himself. It was a sweet sentiment, and that was when his sleepy brain caught up and reminded him that photographs were a thing now. Rey had loved the idea when he brought it up the next day and had rewarded him with more than a few kisses. It made Kylo blush just to think of it. 

They had spent every evening putting together the house, setting up the projector, and organizing the Halloween village. Kylo had enjoyed creating stories for the different figurines in the village with Rey, laughing as they came up with silly adventures for their characters and convoluted plot points. By the end of it they had ended up in each other’s arms, whispering about their own future plans. 

Kylo had never felt so tempted to come clean about the ring and their bond, wanting more than anything to make every hushed murmur of a desire a reality. He didn’t feel as if Rey was ready yet, though, and it was still too early in the relationship. As much as his Little One may love Halloween, Kylo wasn’t so sure she would like the real monsters that lurked so close. Not that Kylo was truly a monster or dangerous (at least to Rey), but he knew from all the movies and reading that a life with a demon was not the fairytale ending Rey was dreaming about, even if it was the reality of what she was wishing for as they held each other that night. 

***

When Halloween finally arrived on Saturday, Kylo was buzzing with nervousness. This was the first time he would meet all of Rey’s friends and the first time they would hang out together as an official couple. He knew he had nothing to worry about when it came to monogamy, but he couldn’t help feeling possessive and anxious. Kylo knew he had a jealous streak when it came to Rey and he also knew Rey was very comfortable with physical affection when it came to her friends. Kylo was also well aware that Rey was not about to change her playful and loving nature towards others just because he was in the picture. She was more than committed to him (or as committed as one could be so early on), and had assured him of that herself. Kylo didn’t have any reason not to trust her but a nervous pit in his stomach still told him to make sure there was no misunderstanding. He would have to convince her to let him claim her, even if she didn’t realize she was doing it.

Among demons, it was common to braid a partner or child’s hair to show faithfulness and special bonds. It stopped demons from hurting each other over mates and misunderstandings, which was common among such a physically strong and naturally aggressive and mischievous species. Demons loved to fight and fighting over someone’s hand was just about as romantic as it got in his world. 

Different braids had different meanings, some reserved for good friends, others for family, and others for lovers, mates, or husbands and wives. Both females and males could wear braids, and Kylo’s hope was that one day he could teach Rey to braid his hair and leave her mark on him, just as he would leave his mark on her. It would soothe his possessive nature to symbolize his commitment to her in this way, so he set out a plan to get Rey to allow him to braid her hair. Kylo was pretty sure he could convince her to do it. It was an innocent enough gesture, she wouldn’t know the real meaning behind it (yet), and it would stop him from doing something stupid like snapping at somebody or casting an ill fated spell on an innocent and unsuspecting friend of Rey’s. 

When Rey finally texted him to come over later in the afternoon, he popped out of her apartment, revealed himself, and knocked on the door. She greeted him excitedly with a kiss to the lips before grabbing his arm and hauling him to the kitchen so they could start setting up. The party officially started at 6:00 pm and consisted of movie marathons (including Halloween classics such as  _ Scream, Halloween,  _ and  _ Trick ‘r Treat) _ , games, and generally socializing and good fun. Rey had asked him to come over early for finishing touches and cooking prep help. 

Once they had settled into an easy routine of prepping the oven, cutting different foods and putting others to defrost, Kylo glanced over at Rey and took the plunge. “Could I braid your hair for tonight?”

“Braid my hair?” Rey repeated with a confused smile. “I didn’t know you could braid!”

Kylo laughed nervously as he responded, “Yeah, my mom was really into it. It’s a big thing for our family. I know it’s weird. I just thought you would look nice with one and I know you like your hair getting played with….”  _ And I’m going to go out of my mind crazy if I can’t mark you for tonight _ , Kylo added in his head. 

“Yeah, sure. Why not?” Rey shrugged as Kylo let out the breath he was holding. While it didn’t hold any significance to Rey, it meant the world to Kylo. Even though she didn’t know it, she had just accepted one of the most personal and private forms of bonding for his species. He would cherish it even more if she let him take the braid out, the ultimate act of intimacy reserved for the closest of partnerships. Kylo’s heart raced at just the thought. He had never braided anyone’s hair other than his mother’s and his sister’s. 

As their prep came to a standstill while they waited for things to defrost and ovens to preheat, Kylo led Rey over to the couch where he softly asked her to sit on the floor between his legs as he brushed through her medium-length hair with his fingers. She closed her eyes as he gently teased out her knots, prepping her hair for the braid. Kylo took the time to run his fingers through her silky locks, stopping every once in a while to massage her scalp or run his hands over her shoulders and neck to knead out any tension there. He could feel Rey relax as she hummed happily, slumping back against the couch. Kylo decided on a simple braid that indicated she was taken and off limits, though he yearned for the more complicated braids that indicated they were mates or husband and wife. Those could wait for now. 

He split her hair into parts and worked them over one another, creating a visually effortless tight pattern. The reality was more complicated, but he had lived a portion of his immortal life practicing different braids in the hopes that one day he could use them on a partner before he became disillusioned with his loneliness and devoted himself solely to his job. Kylo let out a sigh of relief that those days and doubts were over. He had Rey now. 

When he finished, Rey handed him a hair tie that was on her slender wrist and he wrapped it around her hair to secure the braid. He let his hands rest on her shoulders and leaned down until his lips were just touching the outside shell of her ear as he purred contentedly, “All done, Little One. Now don’t take them out tonight, okay? I want to undo the braid. Is that okay?”

Rey nodded, unable to form the words after his whispering and caring, attentive treatment had left her both relaxed and covered in goosebumps. Even if she hadn’t realized the true intimacy of the act, Kylo was sure she had felt it through his actions, and the satisfied thrum of her emotions through the bond made him break out into a joyful toothy grin as one word echoed in his mind,  _ mine. _

***

As people began to arrive Kylo started to feel overwhelmed. He could sympathize with Chewie who had gone from greeting everyone excitedly to realizing he had had enough as he hid under the table. Kylo was somewhat soothed by Rey, who had somehow felt his anxiety and grabbed his hand, stroking her thumb across his skin, and by the braid that shone brightly on the crown of her head. He was proud of his work, and he beamed with pride when people complimented Rey on it and she would search for his eyes and thank him for his art. She called it art. She appreciated it. She was showing it off. She was showing  _ him _ off, using the word  _ boyfriend  _ and  _ partner _ . Kylo could not be happier (all uneasiness brought on by social interactions aside). 

Kylo met more live people in the first hour and a half than he had ever met in his immortal life. As the devil he was usually overseeing things or causing chaos, never taking time to interact with mortals unless it was for some sort of end game or when they had already passed on and he was deciding their fate with his mother. Leia was the one who usually judged the souls and Kylo would usually decide their punishment. But actually listening to these humans and trying to remember things they said was a new experience. He didn’t really care about what any of them had to say, but he knew Rey would be upset if he just tuned out her friends so he tried his best. Kylo was definitely not cut out to be a social butterfly, and he thanked the stars once more that usually his Little One was a homebody. He wasn’t sure how much he could put up with and appearances only did so much. By the time they settled in to watch the first movie, Kylo had been seconds away from throwing Rey over his shoulder and locking them both up in her room. 

***

Rey was having an amazing time. Cuddled up against Kylo’s warm body as they watched the movie, she took the time to look around the room and admire her friends and loved ones. Poe and Finn were giggling under a blanket on the opposite side of the couch, taking advantage of the low light setting. Rose was shooting daggers at them with no real malice behind her eyes, getting ready to slap their legs and tell them off for not being subtle. BB and Amilyn were huddled together over a bowl of pizza rolls, Amilyn holding BB in her embrace given that BB was the biggest scaredy-cat in the room (even more so than Rose when it came to scary movies). There were others there too, some First Order regulars who she had come to befriend over time (like Cara, Cassian and Jyn Erso), some family and neighborhood friends (like Baze and Mon Mothma), and other people who her friends had invited at her request (Halloween was a holiday to be shared, after all). 

Barely watching the movie, she thought about the new set of pictures she had waiting for her on her computer. Kylo and her, all dressed up looking ridiculous, making eyes at each other and stealing kisses, Kylo chasing after her mouth when she turned away so that they could have one picture where he wasn’t all over her. Kylo had grumbled at that but turned towards the camera to appease her for a few shots before he dove back in to pepper her face and neck with kisses. Rey couldn’t find it in herself to be angry. 

She absentmindedly touched her braid at the memory, admiring the intricacy of Kylo’s work. For such big hands he sure could create a delicate masterpiece. As she snuggled deeper into Kylo’s arms, hoping to leech as much heat as she could from his body, she heard the click of the door behind her. That was odd. Rey was pretty sure everyone was here by now, which is why they had migrated from the food and decorations to the movie area where the projector was set up. Rey sat up to look behind her before looking up to find Kylo already looking at the newcomer, his face set in an angry scowl and his eyes hard, no trace of the usual tenderness she saw behind them. She followed his sight to see Anakin standing there, still bruised and battered from his earlier encounter with Kylo, his face nothing short of fuming. 

***

Before Rey realized it, Kylo had left his spot on the couch and stormed off to where Anakin stood. He could tell that Rey had followed behind him as he shoved an already protesting Anakin outside. Clearly Anakin had not expected Kylo to be here, hoping to make a scene and embarrass Rey or win her back. Anakin’s thoughts were a jumbled mess as Kylo attempted to sort through them, hissing through gritted teeth at the smaller man he had pressed against the wall by his jacket collar, “I  _ swear _ if you make a  _ single _ loud noise and disturb anyone in there from the movie, I will  _ end _ you. You better be here to fucking apologize, and you better thank whoever is watching your back that I have enough self control to not kill you right now in front of my girlfriend.”

Anakin visibly blanched at the word girlfriend, obviously not having caught on to the fact that Rey was very much taken. She was wearing Kylo’s braid after all. While she was her own independent beautiful woman, she was still very much  _ his _ and Anakin was an unwelcome intruder into their happy bubble. 

“Why are you here, Anakin? How do you know where I live?” Kylo heard Rey say beside him. He looked over at her small frame, seemingly trying to hide behind him while also standing somewhat to the side in order to look Anakin in the eye as she confronted him. 

Kylo instantly regretted turning to face her, taking in her wide eyes and scared expression. He took in a deep shaky breath, knowing that sending Anakin to his rightful place in Hell right now would not be the correct response, even if he desperately wanted to. His hands trembled with anger as they held Anakin propped against the wall, barely able to hear anything over the pounding of blood in his ears and the rage building in his body. When Anakin didn’t answer her, it took everything in him to not break him in half when he slammed him against the wall as he grit out, “She. Asked. You. A. Question.”

Anakin’s eyes went wide, fully realizing the danger he had put himself in by coming to Rey’s apartment. His thoughts were scattered, running through multiple options with everything ranging from taking on Kylo to cussing Rey out to begging for his life. He decided that being a coward tonight would possibly let him see another day as he replied in an unsteady voice, “I-I… I’m not sure. P-p-poe invited me. I s-saw him working when I-I was looking… looking for you one night. T-told him I got j-jumped. He… He thought we were cool. I thought I could come a-and win you back or something.” Anakin gulped as Kylo growled at his words before adding, “B-but clearly y-you’re with hi-him now. I’ll leave you alone. I-I swear. I swear, please.  _ Please.”  _

Kylo narrowed his eyes at him. “Say. You’re. Sorry.”

Anakin had to work hard to keep his tears at bay and his voice from cracking with how dry his throat had gotten. “I’m… I’m s-s-sorry. God, Rey. I’m so sorry. I’ll… I’ll never come here to see you again. Please. I swear, I promise, I  _ swear.”  _

Kylo felt a small hand at the crook of his elbow and he felt the intensity of his gaze lose its edge as he whipped his head around, his eyes landing on the source of the touch: Rey. “It’s okay, Kylo. It’s okay. You can let him go. I believe him.”

Kylo looked between Rey and Anakin a few times before loosening his hold, but not before shoving Anakin one more time into the wall with a threat, his voice so low it was barely discernible. Anakin scrambled away the second Kylo’s hands left him, and Kylo felt a small bit of satisfaction at knowing how close Anakin had come to peeing his pants. He could also tell from shuffling through his thoughts before he left that Anakin had meant what he said. As long as Kylo was around he didn’t plan on searching out Rey any longer, and Kylo wasn’t going anywhere. 

***

Rey could feel the anger rolling off of Kylo in waves. It was palpable in the air around them, and while she knew she was safe from his terror, a part of Rey felt relieved that she would never see that anger directed towards her. Kylo was downright terrifying, his eyes dark and hard, his jaw steeled as he ground his teeth in frustration. When she reached out to him again, she felt some of the tension leave his body, and when he reached up to cup his face, his gaze softened as his eyes met hers. “I’m okay, Kylo. I promise. Are you?” 

Kylo nodded, too upset to talk, and Rey pulled Kylo into a tight hug, feeling his body further relax under her hold. After some time, Rey felt his arms hug her back. 

They stood there for a while, thankful that no one had noticed their absence or the commotion with the distraction of all the snacks, and how loud and enthralling the movie was. When Rey finally pulled away from the hug, she grabbed Kylo’s face and brought it closer to hers, pressing her lips against his and letting them linger there. “Will you stay with me tonight?” she asked, her mouth moving against his. 

This time it was Kylo’s turn to pull back as he took in her features, eyes searching hers. He nodded and kissed her again before reaching behind her to tug at her braid playfully to break the intense feelings washing over them. “Let’s go back and enjoy the party, Little One. I will always be here to protect you, but right now I want you in my arms while we watch  _ Halloween.”  _

Rey grinned over at him, pulling him back inside to where they found their friends still engrossed in either the movie or their partners. Rey had half a mind to tell Finn and Poe to go home at this point. Rose had moved from where she was near them to Amilyn, who was now comforting both her fiance and Rose as they both clutched tightly to her and hid their faces in her arms when scary parts came on. 

***

When Kylo and Rey had settled back into their corner of the couch, she took out her hair band, placing it back on her wrist before turning her back to Kylo and asking him to take out the braid and play with her hair. Kylo agreed enthusiastically, kissing the nape of her neck before beginning his task, trying to keep himself from confessing his love to the beautiful woman before him who had just offered herself up to him in the most intimate way. He couldn’t wait until he could speak those words aloud, but for now he would happily settle for undoing her braid, carefully unthreading his work between pecks to her shoulders and murmurs of love against her skin only he could hear. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovely readers! So I have decided to keep this main fic smut free for those of you who do not like reading it (no judgement, sometimes I want straight fluff). However, if you are like me, and enjoy getting down and dirty every once in a while - fear not! Our two lovebirds will get their private time ;) 
> 
> The way I am going to do this is by writing one shots that accompany this main fic (or can also be read on their own) so that those of us who are so inclined can go click over there for some more ~intimate~ Reylo content. The first one takes place the morning after this chapter, and the morning of chapter 12. If you want to head on over and read, this is the link (https://archiveofourown.org/works/26422813). If you have any suggestions, comments, kinks, etc that you'd like to see from our two favorites, let me know and I will do my best to try to sneak them in! I have a lot of fun times ahead planned for these two, so don't worry :) 
> 
> Also I will be putting the main fic and all the accompanying one shots in one collection so they are easier to find.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our lovebirds wake up in each other's arms and Kylo gets a surprise visit from a friend.

Kylo woke up dazed and drowsy to the tantalizing smell of orange, lemon, olive leaf, and vanilla, and the tickle of chestnut brown hair brushing his face. He opened one eye, squinting against the afternoon rays of sun that seemed out to get him, in an effort to make sense of his unfamiliar surroundings. The surface underneath him was more comfortable than his usual bed on the couch and he could feel something soft and warm pressed against his body, wrapped up in his protective hold.

Kylo’s mind began to wake up then, catching up with all of the information it had been given to process, and informed him that he was, believe it or not and for the first time in his too old to count demon life, in bed with a woman. And not just any woman,  _ his _ woman.  _ His Rey. Mine.  _

At the pleasant realization, Kylo opened his other eye and proceeded to blink several times in an attempt to will himself out of this groggy state - intent on savoring the moment for as long as he could. Who knew how long this moment would last? Who knew when he would be invited over to spend the night with her again? 

As he approached a more wakeful and conscious state, Kylo felt himself tense all of a sudden and wrapped his arms tighter around Rey’s still sleeping figure when he remembered why he was in her bed in the first place. Rey had been afraid. Anakin had come back and harassed her - had wanted more than just to verbally abuse her before realizing Kylo would never allow that to happen. Yes, he had left and promised to never come back (which Kylo believed), but it was still terrifying to know that Anakin knew where Rey lived, had been angry enough to seek her out in this way, and had dredged up unpleasant memories that Rey had put behind her. 

Kylo breathed out deeply in his frustration and chose to nuzzle his face into Rey’s neck in an attempt to calm down his anger, taking deep gulps of her intoxicating aroma to soothe him. The last thing he needed was Rey to wake up to an angry demon - not that Kylo would ever harm her. But that didn’t mean Kylo couldn’t inadvertently scare her with his temper. He knew that yesterday he could have potentially ruined things had he not let her calm him down. His beautiful Rey. His grounding presence. His rock. His world. His  _ everything _ . 

Rey began to stir as he cuddled close to her, curling himself as closely as he could to her body, his touch-starved self desperate for as many points of contact as were possible as he continued to bury his face in her neck and hair, running his nose along her soft skin. 

Kylo felt her shift underneath his near crushing hold, her arms coming out above her and her body trembling as she stretched and let out a loud guttural noise. She then returned to her position, nestling into the crook of Kylo’s body and placing her warm hands on his arms. “Kylo?” she asked, breaking the silence. 

He hummed in response, planting a chaste kiss to the back of her head. 

“Um… can you let me go? I need to pee and you’re kinda putting pressure on my bladder.” 

Kylo considered her request, half tempted to use his magic to get rid of this silly biological need that dared to take Rey from his arms. Realizing that maybe that was a bit too far, he sighed dramatically and loosened his hold reluctantly. He’d let her go but he wasn’t gonna pretend he was happy about it. 

“Oh hush, you big baby. I just need to pee. I’ll be back in two seconds.” Rey rolled her eyes at him when she had managed to wriggle away and had stood up. Kylo squinted at her with half a mind to drag her back down with him, settling for landing a playful swat on her pert bum as she walked out instead. She yelped at that and glared at him, but the vicious look lasted all of two seconds before she smiled and giggled at him, running away. 

When Rey  _ finally _ came back after what felt to Kylo like an  _ eternity _ , he immediately crushed her to his broad chest, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair. Rey relaxed into his hold, rubbing her cheek against his chest and sighing happily. Kylo was sure that if she had been a cat, his little kitten would absolutely be purring right now. The thought made Kylo flush with mild embarrassment, unused to feeling so attached to and enthralled by somebody else’s contentment. He had never in his whole life put anyone (or anything) else before himself (why would he?), but now he knew that it would be fine if he was never happy again as long as Rey was happy for the rest of her days. The feeling was overwhelming. 

Kylo knew he was being needy and clingy, but he was thrilled to finally have Rey in his arms. He made a mental note to never tease Lillith and Hux again for their PDA, having now gained an understanding of the complete and utter joy one could get from a simple touch from someone they loved.  _ Love. _ There it was again. That four letter word that threatened to absolutely and utterly wreck him. And he would gladly let it, too. 

“I can’t stay in bed for too long, Kylo. I’m an idiot and scheduled myself for a shift later.” Rey voiced out loud, breaking Kylo out of his tender thoughts. 

He growled at that, unable to stop his primal side from coming out - the need to keep her in bed with him all day (maybe all week if he could swing it) was strong. “What if you call in sick?” 

“ _ Kylo _ , you know I can’t do that.” she laughed with a sigh, amused at Kylo’s reaction. Rey reached up and bopped his nose with her finger as Kylo pretended to chase after it and bite it. She snatched her hand away last minute and swatted his arm, drawing a scowl from her big precious manchild. 

“Come on, handsome. You can come visit me and I’ll make you your favorite drink!” Rey said, her voice ringing out in a sing-songy way at the end as she tried to tempt him. 

“Hmph. No, I think I’d rather just have you stay here.” he replied, smirking down at her. 

Rey tilted her head in thought, carefully thinking of a reasonable bribe to present to the hulking giant that seemed more and more unwilling to let her go. “What if I let you braid my hair? It looked so nice yesterday, everyone loved it.  _ I _ loved it. Then I can show it off to everyone again and brag about you all day at work.” 

Kylo beamed at that and nodded. “Okay, yeah. And you can’t take it out at work. I want to do it… Uh… That way you don’t get it all... tangled and knotted.”  _ Good save _ , Kylo thought to himself. 

“Okay, you weirdo. I won’t take it out. Now can I go get dressed now?” she asked, rolling her eyes at him again. That earned her another good-natured smack to her backside. “What was that for!? We  _ compromised _ ! I was playing  _ nice _ !”

“Respect your elders,” Kylo reprimanded with a wink, craning his neck to land a quick peck to her mouth before he released her. 

Rey huffed, untangling herself from Kylo and then leaning over and to give him another kiss with a smile before she moved to get off the bed and start getting ready. “Will you still come visit?” she asked quietly as she rummaged through her clothes. 

Kylo nodded and then followed up verbally with an “of course” once he realized Rey couldn’t see him nodding from where she was. He leaned back against the pillows, his hands behind his head, as he watched Rey shuffle around the room to gather her things, his eyes lazily tracking her movements. He could definitely get used to this, but realistically he knew it would probably be some time before this was his norm. That’s okay. He had already lived more than a lifetime before Rey and he would eagerly live a thousand more in wait for her if it meant that in the end she’d love him as much as he loved her. 

***

It was hard getting ready with Kylo looking at her like that. Rey felt almost nervous as she picked out her clothes and collected her things, stealing glances at the Greek God that laid in her bed, biceps bulging and abs on full display ( _ oh yeah _ , Kylo Ren  _ definitely _ had an eight pack) as he lounged on the bed. He looked at her intensely, with what could almost be perceived as adoration and devotion. Rey shook her head from those thoughts. It was too soon for that. Her traitorous brain was probably misinterpreting lust or passion or want or whatever carnal desire one woke up with after spending a whole night intimately pressed and rubbed up against somebody you were sexually attracted to. But maybe, if things kept going her way (stars willing), one day he would look at her with that strong affection and fondness she craved so desperately. 

_ Just give it time, Rey, you got this,  _ she thought, giving herself a mental pep talk. This would not go the way any of her other short lived romances had gone. She would not fall into self sabotage or desperate anxious clinger mode (though a part of her wondered if her sweet needy man would almost welcome some clinginess - he seemed more than happy to spend all his waking time with her and reluctant for her to leave). 

Already she felt much more for Kylo than she had ever felt for another before, not that she had too much experience in the dating world and not that she could quite call any of her past trysts actual relationships. Nevermind that. Kylo seemed just as inexperienced and baffled by the modern dating world as she. This calmed her down a bit, and she mused happily about all the things she and Kylo would get to experience together for the first time. She had already given him many holiday firsts, but she didn’t want it to end there. She hoped they would be each other's first true loves. Rey was barrelling towards that reality at a faster speed than she had originally anticipated - she just hoped Kylo was tumbling right alongside her. 

*** 

Once Rey had washed herself up in the bathroom and gotten dressed, she dutifully sat at the foot of the bed so Kylo could braid her hair, handing him a comb and hair tie before settling in. He chose a new design today, one that was meant for lovers. Kylo had hated the word before but now felt it held a different meaning for him, namely it finally made sense to him, even if it was corny and sappy in his opinion. He carefully brushed through Rey’s hair and separated it into its necessary parts, silently working the tendrils into a stunning masterpiece. When he had secured it, he helped Rey stand and spun her so she could look in the mirror and admire his work. 

Her excited reaction made him flush as she pulled his face down and rained kisses down on it, thanking him profusely. Kylo was delighted that she seemed to take as much pleasure from the experience as he did, even if she was still in the dark as to its intended purpose. He selfishly wished he could speed up the time so she’d be home quicker and he could undo the delicate hairstyle, wanting nothing more than to run his hands through her hair as his lips met hers in a searing kiss. 

But alas, even he knew that messing with time could be tricky and so he wisely chose against it, knowing that the building anticipation would make her return home all that more sweet. She had already invited him over for dinner, as unwilling to let him go as he was of her. Kylo smirked to himself as he thought about his own Little One’s budding possessive nature, wondering if it would rival his own as their feelings deepened for one another. He’d gladly spend all his time tied to her side for the rest of eternity, not that that wasn’t already the case due to the ring. Though he would do it with or without the obligation of the ring, already ready to serve his Little One for as long as she would allow it - hopefully forever. 

He followed his Rey out the door as they kissed each other goodbye, this one much more passionate than the fleeting pecks they’d given each other throughout the course of the morning. Kylo had decided to part with her here so he could keep up the semblance that he actually was a mortal with his own house and life somewhere that he would return to occasionally when he wasn’t spending time with Rey. He figured he could return to her home once she was out of sight and hang out with Chewie for a bit before heading over to the First Order to collect that drink she owed him for letting her out of bed this morning and maybe also steal some affection here and there, too. Come to think of it, it sounded like the perfect way to spend his day. 

***

It  _ had _ sounded like the perfect day. Kylo awoke from his nap on Rey’s bed (having crawled into it in favor of the couch so he could be further enveloped in her scent and lingering imprints) to the feeling that someone was watching him. His eyes snapped open to land on the angular features of a tall, pale, ginger-haired man leering over him, so close that he could almost feel the warmth emanating from his body and his breath hitting his face. But this was no man. No, this was Armitage Hux, his brother-in-law. 

Kylo sat up in bed quickly as soon as he recognized the demon before him, thanking Hux’s quick supernatural reflexes for moving him out of reach so they didn’t collide. “What the fuck are you doing here? Finally feel bad about ditching me in that thrift store for so long? There’s no way you didn’t feel my loneliness through my force signature!” Kylo glowered accusingly at the man, caught off guard by his presence in Rey’s room. 

Hux, and all higher immortal supernatural beings, knew damn well they could reach out to each other and feel one another through something called the force by using it and their force signatures - a supernatural energy that connected all supernatural beings, especially those that were in tune to it. 

A force signature was each being’s unique trademark impression, allowing one to feel through the energy in order to find and seek out those you wanted to contact. It came in handy so that one could communicate to other realms without having to travel, or if you were far from somebody and still wished to be in touch with them. It worked similarly to the ring’s bond in that it allowed you access to another’s feelings and moods, and if you had the power to enter one’s mind then you could also see their thoughts if you wished (and if the other was not powerful enough to block you out), but it did not bind you to that person in any way. Mortals had weak force bonds, but it didn’t usually matter because most supernatural beings were powerful enough to find their intended target without the use of it, and it wasn’t like any mortal was in tune enough or even aware of the force to use it back. 

“You  _ know _ Leia banned all contact with you through the force the second you were banished to your punishment, Ren.” Hux said, rolling his eyes as if he had had to tell the petulant man before him that very thing a million times. And by this point, he probably had. “I only break the rules because Lilith would be worried sick otherwise without updates. Anyway, do I really need an excuse to see my  _ favorite _ brother-in-law? Aren’t I due for a visit? It’s been some time.” 

Kylo narrowed his eyes at the demon before him. How many times was someone going to roll his eyes at him today? It was only cute when Rey did it and he demanded some sort of respect as The Devil, dammit! Sticking to his guns and embracing his moody childish side he snapped back, “I’m your  _ only _ brother-in-law.” 

“The sentiment stands,” Hux answered dryly. “But no, I’ve actually come because it has come to my attention that you requested  _ my _ presence specifically. I felt your command and the pull to you a few days ago, even if Leia has done her best to dampen and cease all connections with you. And I can see, now, why you needed me. I see you’ve claimed a mortal.”

Kylo stilled at Hux’s words. How did he know that? He wasn’t all knowing, and he was a lesser demon than Kylo, meaning that Kylo was powerful enough to bar him from his mind and only show Hux whatever he wanted him to see, even though Hux possessed the same powers Kylo did. 

“Curious to know how I found out, brother mine?” 

Kylo scowled at his in-law. Damn, they were the worst, weren’t they? “We aren’t brothers, Hux. Cut the crap. What are you trying to say?”

“You know you’re like a brother to me, Kylo. Even if you aren’t the most… affectionate. I stopped by your little party last night, saw the braid on your girl and connected the dots,” Hux replied, looking down at his nails as if this was the most boring topic in the world. 

“How…? How come I couldn’t feel you or see you? You’re still a lesser demon.”

Hux looked up then and gave him a pointed look to communicate what for all intents and purposes could be summed up as “duh” at Kylo’s last statement. He shrugged as he responded, “Leia was concerned as to why you were summoning me in the first place so she cast a charm even  _ you _ couldn’t break. She found it odd that you were breaking your brooding silence to summon me, even though I guess it has been quite some time since I’ve visited. Sorry about that.” Looking not the least bit sorry Hux continued, “I must admit, I’ve been very busy helping your sister run things. She’s a bit overwhelmed lately since you’ve been gone for  _ so _ long. I don’t think she likes the job as much as you did. I wonder if Leia will break your curse early if we keep complaining enough? Maybe give her a grandbaby and soften her up a little?”

It was Kylo’s turn to roll his eyes now. Hux was going over the same lines he always did, the lesser demon was almost as stubborn as Leia, and that was saying something. Lilith was more than capable of running things and she did well under pressure, so Kylo knew she was probably still handling the situation well, even if she didn’t enjoy it. Hux was just hoping to somehow guilt Kylo into coming home.  _ As if I have a choice, _ he thought bitterly. 

Hux and Lilith had both tried begging Leia to end his punishment before, and they’d even tried to plead Kylo to do so, before coming to the realization that Kylo had no personal say in the time frame of his punishment, forced to play a part until his mother’s cryptic words came to fruition. 

“You know the rules almost as well as I do by this point. The ever mysterious “right” person has to come along and save this Prince of Darkness from his boring existence as a slave.” Kylo muttered bitterly, exhaling deeply. 

“Well, you can’t blame us for trying, Ren.” 

“I wasn’t.” Kylo bit out, back to his moody self. 

Making a move to finally sit down on the bed next to Kylo, Hux looked over at him and placed a hand on the King’s knee. Kylo moved away from his touch, causing Hux’s hand to drop to the bed as Hux sighed, The Ruler of the Underworld had never been one for physical touch - even when he could benefit from a comforting pat or two. “Alright, well. Do you want to talk about the girl?”

Kylo looked away from him, not wanting to voice his feelings out loud yet. They were too raw. Too powerful. And giving them a voice would make them all too real and he knew that when that happened he would want to act on them. But he couldn’t. Not yet. Not when he wasn’t absolutely sure Rey felt the same way. He would never forgive himself if he scared her away by coming on too strong. 

“ _ Ren _ . You obviously summoned me for a reason. I can feel it rolling off of you from your force signature. You’re wrestling with some powerful emotions, brother mine.” 

“How do you know when you’re in love?” Kylo asked quietly, moving his head to look back in Hux’s direction but not meeting his eyes. Hux was one of the closest things that Kylo had to a friend and yet this was the first time he had ever been vulnerable before the lesser demon. Kylo was not usually an emotional being, but lately he was feeling sensitive and hyper aware of all his feelings. It scared him and exhilarated him all at once. Maybe it was time to let down his guard and get some advice for once in his life. 

If Hux was shocked at the question, he didn’t show it. Kylo could feel a wave of understanding come from Hux, tuning in to his specific frequency to gauge the red-head’s reactions. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you? That’s why you claimed her. Does she know? Does she know  _ who you are _ ?” 

Kylo’s silence was answer enough as Hux carried on, “You can’t stay with her, you know. Once your curse is broken you have a kingdom to return to and a job to do. An  _ important _ job. One that we  _ depend _ on you for - one that the mortal realm  _ depends _ on you for.”

“I know what I can and can’t do,  _ Hux _ .” Kylo hissed, seething. He knew that a forever with Rey would be hard to secure if he broke his curse. He knew the duties he had as The Devil, knew his responsibilities to his species, to the supernatural world, and the moral population. Kylo didn’t like the demon before him pointing this out, however, even if it was the truth. But more and more lately Kylo had been struggling with his designation. Knowing that if he could drop everything, even his troublesome antics or the job he so loved, he would. He would do that all for Rey and more. 

“Anyway, it’s not like I can free myself. We’ve been over that. Leia was explicit about the fact that when the right person came along then I would be freed somehow. What if she’s it?” Kylo questioned, unable to hold back his train of thought as he rambled on, “But I don’t want to be freed. I like being bound to her. Is that weird? What if that’s what Leia meant? That I would be free because I was with her and it wouldn’t be an obligation, even if I was bound forever?” 

Hux shook his head gently, his demon heart aching for the desperate man so obviously in love before him. “No, I don’t think so. She acts like you’re still going to come back one day, complaining about your absence while ignoring the obvious possibility of just freeing you herself.” He paused and collected his thoughts before pressing on cautiously, “These feelings are kind of intense, aren’t they? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you give a second glance to the opposite sex, or same sex for that matter. Are you sure she isn’t just a pretty face…?”

Kylo snarled at the implication, his eyes snapping to meet the icy blue of his brother-in-law as he bared his teeth. “ _ Stand down, Hux. _ It will be in your best interest to not anger your King further, and I don’t like for a minute whatever you’re implying. You  _ obviously _ don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Hux leaned back, his hands coming out before him in a passive motion as he bowed his head, waiting for Kylo to regain his composure. Kylo may have been out of the game for a while, but he was still a force to be reckoned with and Hux didn’t feel like limping home to Lilith tonight missing a limb or two. “That’s fair,” he acknowledged, head still bowed in submission. “But you have to at least tell her about the bond. Maybe not about your status yet. But it seems unfair that you have such a direct link to her feelings while you’re unreadable to her, and not to mention that you could be doing so much more for her if she was aware of your… capabilities.” 

Kylo looked the lesser demon up and down, pleased that he had submitted so quickly.  _ He gets to go home in one piece tonight, _ Kylo thought smugly. He considered Hux’s words and nodded thoughtfully. Kylo of all people had already contemplated his position and knew that he would have to tell Rey sooner rather than later at least about the bond. If not for Hux’s first reason, then certainly for his second. Kylo wanted to give Rey the world but he knew he’d be unable to until she fully confessed all of her desires to him and wished them a reality. Then he would be able to work with her needs and commands to bring her whatever she wanted. He would spoil his princess rotten, even if she begged him to stop. Until then he could only work with whatever the bond supplied him with which was often vague and muddled, even if the emotions were strong at times. 

But a part of him was still very much afraid of the rejection he could face if she found out about the ring and the bond. What if she hated everything he was? What if she ran away from the monster he was capable of becoming? He’d never show that side of him to her, but it was there, lurking at the surface. That same monster that had reeled at Hux’s accusations, begging to remove his head clean off. It’s not like that would kill Hux, anyway. It took a lot to kill a demon, and a beheading definitely wasn’t enough. He would simply have taken some time to recover, to sit back and think about his disobedience and disrespect to his ruler. The monster reared its ugly head once more, delighted at the thought, and Kylo pushed it down. 

“I know. I want to tell her everything - share everything - about our bond, about me, about us. I do.” Kylo started, hesitating to voice his concerns. “But if she leaves me for it I don’t think I’d ever recover. She’s ruined me for anyone else and I haven’t even fully had her yet.”

Hux hummed in response, thanking Leia that his own mate was of demon kind and therefore none of this was necessary. Some demons would sometimes attempt to court mortals, and it didn’t always work out in their favor. Occasionally a low ranking demon would be allowed to stay with their partner if they relinquished their immortality and any powers they had gained, but that sort of treatment was out of the realm of possibility for Kylo and his royal status. “I guess you could wait a bit… At least until she loves you. You’ll really be testing your relationship then, though, and there’s a big chance she won’t forgive you for lying throughout the relationship.” 

Kylo growled but didn’t reprimand Hux for his honesty. He was only telling the truth and sharing out of concern for his King, his brother-in-law, his friend. Kylo knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but he’d rather chance her wrath once he was convinced she loved him than scare her away before he got a chance to experience her love. He was selfish that way, he guessed. 

The two demons settled into easier conversations after that, Hux finally affirming Kylo’s earlier suspicions that he was the one to create and proliferate the idea of Black Friday (much to Kylo’s amusement), Kylo opening up his tough exterior and telling Hux a bit about the enchanting mortal that had him wrapped around her little finger - if only for the singular pleasure of getting to talk and gush about his girl. Nothing made him happier than thinking about or talking about his Rey. They would just have to workout in the end, there was no other way. He and Rey were endgame (as the millennials were want to call it), he was sure of it. He would  _ make _ sure of it. She would just have to understand, take him for all he was and is and would be. Kylo would let her mold him into whatever she wanted, and if that made him less of a demon or a bad ruler then so be it. 

Kylo was so captivated by his thoughts and the company of his in-law (who he ultimately reluctantly confessed to having missed) that for a few moments he didn’t notice the time passing by or his phone going off under the pillow where he had been napping. So caught up in his feelings for Rey and voicing them out loud, that he wasn’t aware that a few minutes away the object of his affections was silently wondering what she had done wrong to garner the silent treatment from her usually more than attentive boyfriend while equally battling her anxieties to stop doubting his devotion ( _ if you could even call it that only, officially officially, a day in _ ) and to think logically ( _ even when her heart wanted to burst _ ). 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for posting a few days late! I had a big test this Friday and couldn't concentrate. I will be back to my regular Friday posting schedule from now on!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some insecurities, some comfort, and a lot of fluff! Also ~sexual tension~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a smutty one shot written for this chapter that goes with that sexual tension scene when they watch the movie and Kylo is left hanging (you'll know when you get to the scene). If you want to read it, I will pop the link in the end notes! It's spicy!

Rey went into work that Sunday afternoon feeling like she was walking on clouds. Waking up next to Kylo, wrapped up in his warm and protective hold, had been as close to heavenly as she’d ever felt. His playfulness and intensity only further added to her elated mood, assuring her of his feelings for her, affirming the anxious part of her that had wondered whether this was all moving just a little too fast. The way he looked at her warmed her soul and made her body feel tingly all over, as if she was his whole world. She was both in awe and terrified of it. 

While she knew many people dated for years before feeling how she did now, she thought back to BB and Amilyn, a solid couple that she admired, and how BB had let her know he knew at first sight he wanted to be with Amilyn for the rest of his life. Rey wasn’t sure she was quite  _ there _ yet, but she was certainly getting there. Busying herself by tidying up the front of the store in the absence of any new customers, she stole glances at the door every so often, waiting for her big strong man to barrel through and sweep her into his arms. Damn workplace professionalism to hell, she was finding more and more that she didn’t mind Kylo’s sweet touches and gestures in public, especially when they made her feel like the only woman in the world. It was a powerful heady feeling. 

“Waiting for someone, babe?” Poe’s voice rang out as he entered the store with a grinning Finn following in tow. He had signed up for the Sunday shift as well so they could ready the First Order for the busy month of November, where people would go crazy on Black Friday and early Christmas shoppers would swarm them in hopes of finding unique gifts for their loved ones. 

“Maybe,” Rey replied coyly, embarrassed at being caught pining after Kylo after only a few hours apart. 

“I’d say you certainly look like it, peanut.” Finn said, coming over to give her a hello/goodbye hug. He then moved to kiss Poe on the lips, telling him he’d see him later as he walked out to do some Sunday errands for the couple. 

“Had fun last night, did you?” Poe inquired in a taunting tone, raising his brow at a blushing Rey, returning his attention to her once he was done watching his boyfriend walk away (Poe was no stranger to longing himself). 

“Yes.” she huffed, rolling her eyes at Poe before smacking him in the arm as she continued, “Not that you have any room to talk! Hiding under the blanket during the movie like a bunch of horny crazed teenagers!” 

Poe laughed at that, beginning to turn red as he shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry you can’t find it in your heart to be happy for me.” 

“Poe  _ Llewelyn _ Dameron, you are a ridiculous man. What am I going to do with you?” Rey sighed exasperatedly, stressing the middle name as she scolded him. 

“I don’t know Rey  _ Ophelia _ Dameron, whatever  _ will  _ you do with your roguishly handsome brother and his equally stunning boyfriend?” 

Rey winced at the use of her middle name, hating how her parents had named her such an old fashioned name. “Unfortunately I won’t do anything because I’m stuck with your sorry asses. But if you ever disgrace my furniture like that again, Rose and I will both kick you out. My couch isn’t a private hotel room, Poe.” she giggled, showing her brother she was only teasing and not really serious. 

“Aye aye, captain. Anyway, enough about my love life escapades, how’s tall, dark and broodingly handsome? I half expected him to be here today with you. I don’t think anyone could pry you from his arms if they tried.” 

“He’s fine, had some things to do so he’ll be over later,” Rey answered, unable to hide the growing smile on her face. 

Poe was quick to call her out on it, “Oh-ho-ho! Did something happen between our budding love birds?”

“ _ Maybe _ ! Stay out of my personal business you nosey old hen!” 

“Hey, don’t get defensive on me, babe! I’m just happy to see you all googly eyed and gross. It’s about time.”

“Thanks, Poe. I’m happy. I think Kylo’s a really great guy.” 

“He sure seems like it. Looks at you like you’re the only one that exists in the room. He’s even immune to my irresistible charms,” Poe joked, dancing away from Rey as she moved to swat him again. 

After some more poking fun at each other’s expense, leaving them both teary eyed and flushed from the laughter, the two settled into work, swapping their playful banter for something more serious as new customers trickled in. 

***

It was nearing the end of her shift and Rey wasn’t upset. She really wasn’t. So what if Kylo hadn’t showed up even though he said he would? So what if he didn’t answer her flirty text messages trying to tempt his presence at the First Order? _ So. What?  _

Rey wasn’t this person. She was a free-spirited force to be reckoned with, a feminist who championed against desperate co-dependence and clinginess. She, as the popular saying went,  _ didn’t need no man _ . But at the same time she mulled over these thoughts, a little voice in the back of her head still wondered where her man was and when he was coming back to her. 

Rey knew she was being irrational, knew that even though Kylo had set the welcome precedent of always being quick to answer her messages, that he still had a life of his own and he  _ had _ mentioned he had to get some things done. He had said he wanted to commit just to her and she believed him. That meant he wasn’t purposely ignoring her or out with some other girl. 

Rey was pretty sure she hadn’t scared him off with her forwardness, knowing how intense Kylo was himself. Their relationship may be in its baby stages, but she was sure Kylo matched her in, at the very least, the need to want to be exclusive. But maybe some time apart had made him realize they were spending too much time together? 

_ Ugh _ ,  _ you just need to calm down _ . Damn these sudden feelings and rush of emotions that he brought on. Rey hated how quickly her mind spiraled at the thought of Kylo ignoring her, of him wrapped up in some other woman’s arms. Even as she tried to push away the images, it was like every time she got distracted they would come back to her in full force. Rey cursed her overactive imagination and unwelcome doubts. 

But what if something was keeping him? Something else? What if he was hurt? Rey’s mind reeled at the thought, unsure of what she would do if her time with Kylo was cut short prematurely. She was thankful that Poe had left her to close up the shop, making no comment about Kylo’s absence. This eased Rey’s mind because one, he wasn’t seeing her losing her grip on reality, and two, because the fact that he didn’t bring up Kylo not visiting meant that it really wasn’t an issue (which her logical brain was quick to chime in and remind her that she already knew this). 

Rey cleaned up everything after checking that no one was left in the store, moving to turn off all the lights and pack up her things so she could go home. She still had dinner with Kylo to look forward to, if he even showed up at all. Rey shook her head at the thought, he would be there at dinner, and if he wasn’t then, well, Rey just  _ might _ find it in herself to have a  _ bit _ of a meltdown. 

***

Kylo and Hux both stopped their conversation when their demon ears heard the lock turning. Kylo locked eyes with Hux before waving him away, watching the tall redhead disappear right before his eyes in a cloud of black smoke (Hux loved to be dramatic in his coming and goings). 

He cursed when he realized that the day had slipped away from him and that, while he was thankful for his in-law’s presence that had given him the much needed outlet he had been missing, he had, in the wake of all his venting and feelings, abandoned Rey despite promising to go visit her. What would she think of him? He moved to tidy up the bed from where he had lain and changed out of his rumpled clothes with a snap of his fingers, concealing himself at the same time. 

Right as he vanished into thin air, Rey walked into her room, obviously in a state of distress, muttering to herself about needing to “fucking chill”. Kylo scowled at her suffering, feeling the frown deepen when he realized he was the one to blame after he caught the mumbled words, “He’ll come to dinner and if he doesn’t then we’ll talk. That’s it. That’s what makes sense, Rey. Not this dumb shit. And if he wants to slow down that’s fine. A relationship is  _ two people _ , Rey.” 

Kylo would have damned Hux back to Hell if he didn’t already belong there. His absence at the First Order had clearly been noticed and he had inadvertently caused his girl to be insecure about his commitment now that they were finally official. While Kylo had no prior experience in dating someone, he was at least learned enough in relationships to realize he had probably messed up, especially since they had spent the night with each other - something Kylo had never done with anyone else. If he had been ignored by Rey all day he was sure he would have been upset as well. It was even worse considering Kylo had assured her this morning that he would show up.  _ Shit _ . 

Kylo summoned his phone to him after concealing it as well, noticing for the first time the missed texts.  **I don’t mean to be clingy, I just love it when you visit me at work. Let me know if you’re coming and I’ll have your favorites ready for you. See you soon either way!** , one of them read. Fuck, he was an asshole. 

Kylo watched on as Rey moved about the room, settling her things on her dresser, before she crawled into the bed and called Chewie to her. When he had crawled into Rey’s arms she patted Chewie’s head and whispered to the dog about needing a nap before dinner, closing her eyes with her head buried into the creature’s fur. Chewie shifted slightly but seemed to understand as he followed suit, closing his own eyes. 

Kylo popped out of the room and sat on the couch, promising himself to make Rey feel just as wanted as she truly was by the time dinner rolled around. 

***

Rey woke up much more refreshed and clear headed. If Kylo didn’t show up to dinner she could worry, but unless that happened she was going to get a grip. She wasn’t able to distract herself this time with cooking because she had promised to show Kylo her favorite take out thai place, so her next best option was to scroll through Netflix and hope that something piqued her interest to kill the next 30 minutes before he showed up (if he showed up). 

Time passed slowly while she watched an old  _ New Girl _ episode, the main gang’s crazy exploits which usually had her in stitches doing little to ease her now. When the doorbell rang and Chewie roused from his position at her feet, she was almost surprised. 

Still dressed in her sweater and jeans from when she had been at work, she moved to open the door and found a very apologetic looking Kylo holding takeout bags and a bouquet of white tulips. 

“They mean forgiveness and fresh starts,” Kylo supplied, almost shoving them into her face as he held them out for her to see. 

Rey let out a small, “Oh,” as he made his way in and put the food and flowers on the kitchen counter before turning and striding back towards Rey. 

She was still holding the door open when he stopped to stand in front of her and cup her face with his large warm hands. “I’m sorry I ditched you today, Rey. An… An old friend paid me a surprise visit and I got sidetracked. I picked up what you said were your favorites from the thai place so we didn’t have to wait if you were hungry. Hopefully I remembered right. Do you forgive me, sweetheart? I’d hate to think of you waiting for me at work and being disappointed.”

Rey blinked up at him. Was this man a mind reader or something? This was truly unexpected, albeit very welcome. She placed her hands on Kylo’s wrists and squeezed them in what she hoped was a comforting way. “Of course I forgive you, Kylo. You honestly don’t have anything to be sorry about. I was just being silly and needy.” 

Kylo sighed in relief and leaned down to place a kiss on her lips. He lingered there and his lips brushed against hers when he spoke back the words he had thought to himself what felt like so long ago, “Don’t worry. I feel it, too.” 

Rey smiled and pressed her lips to his, closing the small distance between them. She kissed him a few times before she broke away, closing the door and taking his hand so they could enjoy their dinner. Turns out in the end that Rey didn’t have anything to worry about. Her sweet tender Kylo was just as much hers as she was his. 

***

A week after Hux’s visit, Kylo and Rey were as happy as ever, easily settling into a routine of domestic bliss. They spent almost every day together, whether it was having dinner together, Kylo taking Rey out during her lunch break, having a sleepover at Rey’s apartment or just generally enjoying each other’s company. Everything felt so  _ right _ , Kylo had a hard time imagining what his life was like before Rey. How had he lived more than thousands of years without knowing such carefree joy and satisfaction? He could never return to that life. There was no life for him without Rey now. Even if she made him watch some very questionable movies. 

They were in her bed now, watching that silly space action adventure movie series Rey loved so much. As much as he didn’t care for the movies themselves, he had to admit that lounging with Rey in bed all day more than made up for it. She was cuddled up to his side, his arms holding her close, the laptop on his lap. They had been quietly watching the film, content in each other's embrace, when Rey broke the silence. 

“Do you have any Thanksgiving plans, handsome?” Rey asked, looking up at Kylo. 

He looked down at her expectant face and kissed the top of her head before answering, his deep voice a soothing rumble that Rey could feel vibrating through their bodies. “No. Did you have something in mind, Little One?” 

She looked away, averting her gaze as she bit her bottom lip. Kylo was tempted to grab her chin and make her look at him, to tell her she had nothing to worry about with him, that he wouldn’t ever deny her anything she wanted - but he could sense she was nervous about whatever she was about to say so he let her battle it out within her head. 

After a few moments she spoke again. “Well… I was thinking that  _ maybe… _ since you’re not going home for the holidays that maybe… you… you could spend Thanksgiving with  _ me _ . I could even take you Black Friday shopping for the first time. Get you a proper chair you can fit into at the First Order like we talked about. And I won’t have to work that weekend because Poe’s working Black Friday so you could even spend the long weekend with me.”

“And who says I’m not already home when I’m with you?” Kylo replied softly. 

Rey brought her gaze back up to him then, catching his eyes. They were warm and inviting and full of feeling, she felt breathless and dizzy looking into his honey colored orbs that could convey so much more than he had ever said out loud. Miraculously, she somehow managed to squeak out, “So is that a yes?” 

“Of course, sweetheart. I would love nothing more,” he whispered, nuzzling his face against her, nudging her nose with his. 

Rey visibly relaxed into his hold, feeling the tension and apprehension leave her body. “Good.” she breathed out, a sensation as if she was floating still remaining at Kylo’s admission. Rey could feel the butterflies in her stomach buzzing around double time and the goosebumps form over her skin at Kylo’s soft touches. 

Finally, Kylo’s lips found hers and they kissed, melting into each other. Kylo’s hands drifted up to cup her face and Rey shifted so she was sitting up and could better angle herself against him. Rey deepened the kiss, tugging at Kylo’s hair, coaxing out a muffled moan from him in the process. When Kylo moved to get closer, the laptop fell from his lap onto the bed, somehow turning up the volume in the process and distracting them. 

Rey broke away laughing, murmuring something about “maybe later big guy” before she turned her attention to the computer, lowering the volume and righting the device so they could finish the movie. Kylo slumped back against the headboard with a defeated sigh, noting that his briefs felt considerably tighter and more uncomfortable than they had before, as he pulled Rey back to his side. He really  _ really _ hated this series now. 

***

Kylo was quick to learn that Rey’s enthusiasm spanned all holidays, not just Halloween. Rey was planning a game night dinner for Thanksgiving, and she was adamant about everything being perfect for Kylo’s benefit as well as for Vicrul Jones, Rose’s new love interest. Rey never called him Rose’s boyfriend because she said with Rose you never really knew about her commitment to men, but that “love interest” or “flavor of the month” would do as a placeholder until she either decided to commit or dropped him like a fly. Kylo was endlessly thankful that Rey had been the one to pick up the ring and steal his heart instead of Rose. She seemed like someone that would destroy a secretly budding sensitive romantic like him in an entirely different way than how Rey was wrecking him. 

Rey dragged Kylo to Target that month more times than he could count, getting new decorations each time. When Kylo asked why she couldn’t recycle some of the more neutral, fall-themed items to use for Thanksgiving instead of buying all this new stuff he had earned a hard jab to his side from Rey’s elbow and a stern scolding. He learned not to question his Rey anymore after that. 

Not that he minded all her little trips. It meant more time for him to be with her, more time to learn about her, more time for him to convince Rey that he was endlessly devoted to her. And he did. Every day, every minute, every second they spent together, Kylo would make it more than known how much he treasured Rey. Her endless wit, her charming playful nature, her honesty, her contagious laughter, her beautiful mind, her gorgeous body. 

Kylo couldn’t get enough of any of it. He was constantly telling her so, making Rey flush pink till it reached her ears, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, promising her the world. He also couldn’t keep his hands off of her, something that thankfully Rey didn’t mind. It didn’t have to be anything overt or sexual. Just holding her hand or placing a hand at the small of her back while they walked around was enough for him. To feel her close to him, to know that she wanted him just as close. It drove Kylo wild with need. He needed Rey to understand how he loved her. Needed Rey to love him back, affirm him in this way. Kylo couldn’t wait until they were entirely each other’s.

Overwhelmed with the feeling, Kylo wrapped his arm around Rey’s shoulders and brought her close, kissing her cheek and smiling as they wandered through the aisles of Target for the third time that week. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving and Rey had hauled them over once more in search of appetizers and snacks. The turkey was already bought and sides, drinks and dessert would be brought by others, with those who had side dishes coming early so they could spend the day cooking and setting up. 

“What was that for, ya goof?” she teased, looking up at his big toothy grin. 

“Nothing. Just wanted you next to me.”

“I was already walking next to you, silly.” Rey rolled her eyes in that mock annoyance kind of way that was only endearing coming from her, but moving her hand to hold Kylo’s at her shoulder and intertwining their fingers all the same. 

“Not close enough, Little One,” he murmured, giving her hand a squeeze as Rey guided them towards the chip aisle. With his Rey, it was  _ never _ close enough. And he promised himself right then and there that he would never let her forget it. He would try his best to never be a source of discomfort, sadness or disappointment for her, but instead to be one of happiness, joy, and pure love and devotion. For Rey? Kylo would do  _ anything _ . 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty one shot that goes with this chapter: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26657137


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of Thanksgiving, yay!
> 
> Sorry for the late post :( School has been crazy, but we have this weekend off to study for some big tests coming up so I am going to try to crank out some chapters so I can avoid posting too late again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is some happy news, though! There is a smutty one shot that takes place before they go Black Friday shopping. You can read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26855464

It was the morning of Thanksgiving and Kylo was feeling nervous and anxious. He had stayed the night over with Rey again, falling asleep with her after staying up late to decorate the house. Already there were several people in the house and it wasn’t even noon yet. Poe and Finn had come early to help with cooking the turkey and some sides, and Rose was here (having told Vicrul to show up for dinner just in case he got overwhelmed by the core group, much like Kylo felt in this moment) for what Rey called “moral support” considering that Rose could sometimes be a menace in the kitchen. 

Things were feeling a little hectic as they all moved about the kitchen getting things set up. Kylo, having never really cared to put much effort into his food due to the fact that he could summon anything he wanted, did not really understand what was necessary for a Thanksgiving preparation - apparently it was a lot. The turkey was finishing defrosting and that alone Rey had said would take over four hours. Kylo was feeling more and more lately the pressure to reveal himself to Rey, if anything just so they wouldn’t have to wait for goshdarn bird to cook for hours on hours. 

Kylo had never truly had to test the limits of his introversion and social anxiety. Despite his role as The Devil, he had very little interaction with people if he could help it, choosing instead to delegate a lot of jobs to lesser demons. Kylo wished that he could just lock himself up in Rey’s bedroom with just Rey and they could go back to spending time with just the two of them, but no such luck. 

His girl was pretty darn extroverted and while Kylo loved her for it, he had no intention of following in her social butterfly footsteps. Kylo didn’t want his patience to wear thin around Rey’s family and friends but he was pretty sure that if he didn’t go and be alone for a while that he might actually set something on fire as a small yet much needed distraction. 

He went over to the couch, wondering idly if it would be all too suspicious if he concealed himself and played it off later as just being in the bathroom or in Rey’s bedroom without anyone noticing. Chewie came to snuggle with him and Kylo scratched behind the dog’s ears as he watched the scene unfold before him. At least someone else in this house seemed like they needed a break. 

Before him Kylo could see Rey and Rose talking as Rey made some pie dough which would have to sit in the fridge for a while before baking, and Poe and Finn were up to their usual mischief as they kept stealing cherries and pecans that were supposed to be for the pies. At one point Rey smacked Poe as he poured whipped cream directly into his mouth from the can. Kylo grinned at that. His Little One was a spitfire, for sure. 

Kylo looked on fondly, wondering what his own family was doing back home. Thanksgiving of course wasn’t anything that was recognized in his home, but Leia did enjoy family time every couple of years, when her kids weren’t trying to make her life miserable. It wasn’t Lilith or Kylo’s fault, the natural order of the world needed there to be a dark and light side even though they were all more often shades of gray than one or the other. He thought back to his conversation with Hux and about what his mother had said regarding the right one coming along and freeing him.

Kylo still felt that Rey had to be something special at the very least. There’s no way he would have fallen in love with her like this otherwise. He had lived his life for millenia beforehand around all sorts of spirits, supernaturals, demons and humans and had never felt this way about anyone before. That had to count for something. However, if she was the one that was to free him somehow, then he didn’t want to be freed - because he didn’t want to leave Rey and go back home. His new home was with Rey now. 

Kylo would just have to figure out some way that Lilith would be able to take over for his job and Hux would be able to continue to help her. And then as he transitioned to the mortal world maybe he could pick up a hobby or something. Calligraphy seemed like an interesting one, and women loved letters (at least that’s what all his prior research had told him). 

After all, Leia was more light than dark in nature, so she had to show some pity on her only son and him falling in love, right? Except that she hadn’t talked to him in his time of solitude and she wouldn’t be starting to anytime soon. They surely hadn’t left off on the right foot. Kylo wondered how long he could hide from Leia if it came down to it, or how he could prevent having to go back to his duties if he was freed somehow. 

He had time to think about it, though. Kylo’s only real pressing issue was his own guilt weighing on him, and his need to make Rey as happy as possible. Except that Kylo had started to sense that Rey thought he was holding himself back from telling her certain things. He could tell that Rey knew him well enough now from all the time they’ve spent together that she wasn’t as satisfied with Kylo’s answers about his life before her or about his family - but Rey was kind and patient and was giving him time. Kylo was thankful that he was naturally more shy, as it helped him with his cover when it came to hiding facts about his life. 

It’s just that when Kylo finally sat her down and talked about this, she would be more than just surprised by the answer and he wasn’t ready for her to reject him yet. He needed to know that if she ran away from him that she would ultimately return to him. Love him enough to come back. Need him as much as he needed her. Kylo needed it more than anything he had ever wanted - even more than the freedom he had so longer for before. 

He pondered on these things as he watched happily from the couch, unable to keep a soft smile from playing permanently on his lips at the thought of a forever with Rey. As he admired his princess commanding the kitchen, she met his eye and shot him a quick wink and a smile, pausing to blow him a kiss. Kylo pretended to catch it and only vaguely took the time to think about how soft he’d become in just a little over a month. If his lesser demons saw him now he would never have heard the end of it, but he would barely have minded the teasing if it meant staying with his Little One. 

***

By the time dinner rolled around, Kylo was ready to rejoin the fold. A few more people had arrived and he wasn’t too proud to admit that he was missing Rey’s touch. He was also curious about Rose and this Vicrul Jones person. Vicrul seemed equally as uncomfortable in the crowd as Kylo, but didn’t hide it as well as Kylo did. His big eyes looked almost fearful as he scanned the room and tried to remember everyone’s names. 

Kylo took comfort in Rey as he moved towards the kitchen island, her palm drawing soothing circles onto the small of his back. He melted into her touch, playing with her intricate braid as he tried to keep up with the conversations around him. Most of the people who had come over tonight had been present at the Halloween party, so Kylo at least recognized some faces. 

Rey leaned into Kylo’s side and looked up at him with a grin as she moved her hand to his hip and gave him a loving squeeze. “Remember that tonight is a marathon, not a race. We have to get through Thanksgiving dinner, dessert, games and movies, maybe a nap and finally shopping tonight. Are you ready, babe?” 

“Barely,” Kylo laughed, grabbing her hand in his and intertwining their fingers where they rested on his side. 

The group gathered around the counter and loaded their plates up, the conversation and drinks flowing easily as they took their places around the couch. Rey’s smaller dining table couldn’t accommodate everyone so they settled into the plush furniture and crowded the coffee table with their plates and cups. 

Kylo enjoyed watching Rey interact with her friends as he chowed down silently beside her, avoiding making too much eye contact with Poe lest he try to rope him into a long winded conversation. The food was delicious and the company was good, everyone smiling and laughing, Rey’s happiness more than evident through the bond, her finger sparkling with Kylo’s ring. 

Kylo once more felt that warm soothing sensation in his body, a comforting feeling that accompanied Rey’s presence. He loved this woman and felt truly wholly satisfied with her. Kylo couldn’t stop marveling at the fact that he had lived so long without knowing this true joy, never really missing it because he had never known it existed in the first place. 

As they finished up their dinner and took a break from eating before dessert came around, the group played some board and card games. Kylo couldn’t help but cheat his way through a couple, taking a sick kind of pride in irritating and teasing Rey and her competitive nature. 

After his third round of winning a game, this time  _ Sorry,  _ Rey slapped him playfully on the thigh. “You’re a monster!” 

“Yes, I am,” he answered with a wink and a smirk, always finding delight in Rey’s playful nature. 

“Too bad you’re stuck with me, sweetheart,” Kylo added before giving her a quick peck on the lips. Rose pretended to gag in their direction and then at Poe and Finn who were once more unable to keep their hands to themselves, but Kylo noticed she held tighter to Vicrul’s hand and winked at him before setting up the game again. 

***

Kylo woke up to Rey bent over him and shaking him awake. They had fallen asleep on the couch after more food, dessert, and some movies, everyone feeling the effects of their feast combined with the heavy wine consumption. 

“It’s time to go Black Friday shopping, big guy!” she said excitedly as he scowled at her with narrowed eyes. 

Kylo grumbled as he stood up, rising to his full height and letting out a groan as he stretched. Kylo had asked for this after all, and who was he to deny Rey when she looked so damn cute and giddy. He looked over to the side where everyone else was rousing from their places or getting ready, Rose crumpled up on the floor surrounded by blankets and Poe and Finn already up and getting their coats. 

Kylo saw that Rey had changed out of her dress and was instead in a warmer set of clothes consisting of a sweater and jeans. He stalked over to the bedroom to change as well, though he was really changing his clothes by doing magic, feeling too lazy to physically change in and out of clothes if he didn’t need to. Rey had asked him to bring a duffle bag of clothes and supplies for his long weekend with her, though of course she didn’t know that all of Kylo’s things were already at her house - just concealed and hidden away. 

Once everyone was ready, the group crawled into Rose’s car. Kylo ended up sitting, and only  _ slightly _ pouting, in shotgun because he didn’t fit comfortably in the back and Rey had pushed him out when he tried to sit beside her. 

They made their way to the mall, and Kylo felt a little excited at experiencing his first Black Friday at what Rey had dubbed one of the largest malls in the United States. Considering that Hux had created the holiday, he couldn’t wait to see it in action. Kylo was a creator of chaos after all, and it was in his nature to crave it. A little part of him wondered if he’d be able to stir up some trouble tonight while he spent time with his girl. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind if he had a little fun. 

He  _ did  _ finally have full access to most of his powers back after being bonded to someone again. Maybe just a little disorder and mayhem would wrap the night up nicely. It had been  _ so long _ , after all.

  
  



	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shoutout to the Bath and Body Works sale that happened this weekend - here is some Black Friday shopping fluff and mischief.

Kylo wasn’t sure at what point he would stop being overwhelmed by mortals and all their intricacies. Tonight was not that night. Despite being one of the biggest malls in the United States, King of Prussia was absolutely packed and teeming with life. The second they were in the building Kylo searched for Rey’s hand and held on to it tightly, bringing her closer to his side. He knew she wasn’t in any type of danger, but the way some of these hordes of people were rushing about made him afraid that if one of them barreled into Rey she would be run right over. 

Apart from worrying about someone toppling Rey over, Kylo was both overstimulated by all of the action going on and the same time excited. The whole place was chaos. People were running about, he could sense the tension in some of the families and groups that hurried past, and he could see the way some customers and retail workers bickered over merchandise. Hux was a genius. This was a beautifully chaotic holiday that was more than serving its purpose. 

As they walked by several store fronts, Kylo couldn’t help himself as he concealed some items from view, changed the position of other things, and even switched a couple of carts and bags around. Some of the mortals noticed instantly, becoming enraged over an item that had seemingly disappeared right before their eyes (which it had), while others would notice later, once the demon had already passed by. Kylo was a little sad he couldn’t witness all of the fun he was causing, but he did rather enjoy being with Rey so it wasn’t all too bad. 

Rey seemed oblivious to some of the mounting anger around her, a full fight breaking out in one of the stores where Kylo had meddled. She was focused and on a mission, hurrying them along to a specific store at the end of one of the wings of the mall. Rey had told the rest of the group that they should split up and then get back together at one of the food court areas, so it was just Rey and Kylo now. 

Kylo let himself be guided, enjoying the view of his girl taking charge and bringing them on a journey wherever she was going. When they finally got to the store and area in question he laughed. It was a furniture store. 

Rey squeezed his big hand in her small one and looked up at him while she teased, “You said you wanted a bigger chair for when you come visit and now you can pick your very own throne. Wouldn’t want you all uncomfortable and folded up into any  _ normal _ sized furniture, now would we?” 

Kylo mocked being offended, bringing his free hand to his heart and sending a scowl her way. “Again, not my fault that all your furniture is too small. I’m just surprised I’m the first gigantic clientele to complain about it. Or maybe you’re just too soft on me and so I’m the only person you’ve taken pity on who's said anything.” 

He winked at her and earned a playful elbow to his side. “Come on,  _ Ky-lo _ . Let’s get you a proper chair so you can shut up.” 

Rey was very thorough in her furniture picking process, making Kylo sit in several chairs and test them out in different positions. She insisted that he needed to be completely satisfied and that if there was any doubt that she wouldn’t buy it. He insisted that,  _ really _ , he wanted to buy it for her because he was the one being silly about such a small thing anyway, but she outright denied him every time. Kylo huffed at her stubbornness, but he respected her boundary even if he didn’t like it. 

When they finally picked one, Kylo couldn’t stop the smile that spread to his face. Rey was beaming with pride, and he could feel her enthusiasm through the bond. He knew that she felt happy about providing him with something, even if it was as seemingly dumb and insignificant as a comfortable seat for his large frame. That feeling was almost worth Kylo deciding against secretly paying for the furniture himself. He would spoil her with other things later. 

What Rey didn’t know yet is that she had provided Kylo with so much more through all of her gestures and kindness and love towards him (or at least he hoped it was love - they hadn’t quite admitted it to each other yet but Kylo could feel that emotion rising within her, too). Rey had provided him with a home, and if something as small as her buying him a chair made her happy then he would allow it. Heck, he would allow anything that Rey wanted ever for the rest of her life.

As they walked out of the store, Kylo stopped Rey and gathered her in his arms. She looked up at him with an eyebrow quirked in question and he grinned down at her. He brought a hand up to cup her face, using his thumb to smooth out her confused expression. Kylo leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on her lips as he held her tightly to him, his other arm wrapped around her waist. 

“What was that for?” she laughed, her eyes filled with merriment at her big handsome cuddly man. Anyone who said Kylo Ren was intimidating didn’t know what he was like with Rey Dameron, that’s for sure. 

“For taking care of me. For inviting me. For giving me a wonderful holiday experience so far. For what I am sure is to be an even more amazing holiday weekend together,” Kylo rambled, peppering her face with kisses between each sentence. 

Rey pushed his face away playfully and shook her head at him, “We’re not even done yet. Don’t go thanking me until after your feet are sore and you’re too tired to do anything for the rest of the day.” 

“If that means we can lay in your bed for the rest of the day and just watch movies and eat takeout I will gladly thank you a million times more when we’re home.” Kylo said, nuzzling his face into Rey’s, his nose nudging hers. 

Rey rolled her eyes at her secret softie as she disentangled herself from his tight grip and grabbed his hand so they could keep going. “Well, now that I know you’re so eager to keep shopping till we drop then I think it’s high time we went to go get some Bath and Body Works.” 

***

If Kylo had still been back home and back in charge of Hell, he was sure he would have immediately redecorated the place to be like a Bath and Body Works store. The smells were overwhelming, the high pitched squeals abrasive, and the amount of choices headache-inducing. Rey kept trying to get his opinion on some pumpkin scented candles, but Kylo insisted they all smelled vaguely similar, and after the third one his nose was incapable of differentiating between the many more that she shoved under his nostrils. 

Kylo watched patiently as Rey continued to shuffle around the store, spritzing perfumes onto testers, opening up lotions, bringing candles to him, and making ooh-ing and aah-ing noises when she found a new scent she liked. If Rey hadn’t been there to settle his nerves, Kylo was pretty sure he would have set the store on fire by now. 

He was just fantasizing about how he could end his misery there when the rest of the gang showed up, equally as excited as Rey about the sale and the selection. Kylo tried not to roll his eyes but he found it impossible. His lips were set in a hard line and his teeth were working overtime as he clenched and unclenched them. He had to do something, and soon. 

Kylo didn’t want to endanger Rey (so a fire was out of the question unfortunately) and he  _ did _ want her to make the purchases she wanted (damn him and his feelings for her), but his patience was wearing thin and the elderly store worker who kept coming up to him and asking him questions while trying to sell him on her granddaughter wasn’t making it any easier. 

“How about this cologne, handsome? I’m sure it’ll bring all the ladies around. You know, this is my granddaughter’s favorite… She’s real pretty, you know,” the older woman droned on, bringing her latest acquisition to Kylo. He wasn’t sure why this old lady was so taken with him but he needed her to stop. Kylo had no interest in her or her granddaughter. 

“That’s alright, I’m quite pleased with the lady I’ve got.” Kylo bit out a terse response, hoping the woman would catch a hint. Right on time, Rey popped over with yet another candle in her hands, concentrated on the label as she walked over to him. Kylo grabbed Rey and tucked her into his side, giving the sales representative a tight lipped smile and raising his eyebrows at her as if to say, “see I’m taken, now please leave me alone”. Thankfully, she got the hint and waddled away, much to Kylo’s relief. 

He turned his attention to Rey who was talking out loud about the candle, turning it over in her hands to read the notes of the scent out loud to him. Sometimes Kylo was surprised at how much Rey missed when she was engrossed in something. He squeezed her arm as she continued, “... and so I really think it’s between this one and that other pumpkin one, but I also want that Christmas one I showed you earlier. What do you think?” 

Kylo didn’t know what to think. He didn’t even remember half the things she had brought him to smell. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.” 

Rey huffed and slumped against his side, “I want you to have an opinion! You’re gonna have to be smelling these all the time. I don’t want you to hate something I picked out and just suffer in silence.” 

Suffer like he was doing now? Impossible. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. I liked all the ones you’ve shown me so far,” Kylo answered. 

“Name one scent you liked,” Rey inquired, looking up at him with her eyes narrowed. 

“The t-shirt one?” he replied meekly. 

“You mean the flannel one?” Rey asked with a laugh. 

“Sure,” Kylo chuckled. 

“Yeah, I did like that one. It was good. But don’t think that I believe you for a second, Kylo. I know you were just guessing, and fortunately for you it just happened to be a lucky guess,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him. 

Kylo grabbed her nose with his free hand that wasn’t around her shoulders and she scrunched her face up at him. “Fine, Little One. You caught me. Can we go now?” 

“Nope,” Rey said, popping the “p”. “Now we get to look at hand sanitizers and then we get to go grab all our favorites and buy them.” 

She patted Kylo’s chest in what was meant to be a somewhat soothing gesture and then she waved him forward, moving towards the front of the store.  _ No hand sanitizer tonight, sweetheart,  _ Kylo thought as he quickly formed a large storm over where they were and cut off all the lights. Rey stilled and he accidentally bumped into her as he was following close behind and hadn’t anticipated her sudden stop. 

“Kylo?” she called, her voice wavering.  _ Was his Little One afraid of the dark? That was pretty ironic.  _

“I’m right here, honey,” he said, putting a protective hand on her waist. Kylo could see in the dark, could see the people around them starting to freak out, could hear their voices start to rise in a panic. He had knocked out all the power, including the backup generators it seems, in his hurry to try to get them out of the store.  _ Oops _ . 

“I didn’t even know it was supposed to storm tonight, did you?” Rey asked, reaching for him in the darkness. Kylo grabbed both her hands and put them around his waist, moving his own arms to cage her in so she would know where he was. 

He hummed against her hair in response, dipping his head to talk in her ear, “I remember seeing something about it I think. But we should try to leave. Are you good to go right now?” 

Rey nodded against his chest, the noise rising in the store as a store clerk tried to calm down a couple of patrons who were starting to be more vocal about their distress. “Everybody calm down, I am sure the emergency generators will come on at any point now. How about we take out our phones and use our flashlights until then, okay?” a worker yelled above the growing complaints. 

A couple of flashlights flickered on, illuminating the people in the store. Kylo knew he should probably remedy the problem and bring the lights back on, fix the issue he had caused in the first place - but he was having too much fun with Rey clinging on to him and, honestly, he was enjoying the disorder before him. It had been too long and he deserved a treat. Rey took her phone out and turned on the flashlight, and Kylo led her out of the store, her hand firmly in his. 

Kylo stopped when Rey tugged at his hand, rooting them in place outside of the store.  _ So close.  _

“We should wait for Finn, Poe, and Rose, right? That way we can just go home? I don’t think we are gonna be buying anything else in stores tonight,” Rey asked, attempting to laugh through the tension and stress she felt at still being in such a large and crowded place with all the lights off. 

Kylo could see that other people around the mall had turned on their phone flashlights as well and that while some were moving towards the ends of the mall to leave, others had sat down, hoping to wait out the storm in an effort to continue their shopping after the power was regained. Kylo had to admire their determination. “Yeah, give ‘em a call?”

Rey nodded, calling her brother and talking to him for a few short seconds before hanging up. The three remaining members of their crew stumbled out of the Bath and Body Works, squeezing past a group of people who had huddled together and blocked their exit. 

Poe was the first to talk, looking a bit frazzled himself. “Well, this is certainly spooky, isn’t it? I can’t believe the emergency generators haven’t kicked on or that people haven’t taken advantage of this and honestly just started stealing.” 

The group let out a weak laugh, knowing that the possibility of people looting could become dangerous - especially on a night where people could already get quite out of control when shopping for the exclusive deals. 

“Yeah, on that note, let’s get the hell out of here,” Rose said, motioning with her phone towards the way out of the mall. They made their way out, trying not to get sweeped up in the wave of people who were also trying to get out as soon as possible. Outside a flurry of rainy snow and cold bitter wind was whipping around, an unfortunate side effect of Kylo’s small temper tantrum in his attempt to get himself and Rey out of that hell-ish store. 

While a part of him regretted it, he knew the group was just going back to Rey’s to online shop anyway. Kylo wondered why that couldn’t have been done in the first place, but told himself to suck it up because quality time with his girl was still quality time and as long as she was happy he could deal with it. He fully planned on getting her that one sold out candle she had grumbled about on her way out of the mall, too. Nothing was really “sold out” when you had a demon boyfriend after all. 

On their trip back to the apartment, Kylo made sure to clear the roads somewhat so they wouldn’t be in any danger, but once they were inside the apartment he kept the storm raging. He was just having too good of a time after realizing that his Rey was more than a little afraid of the dark. It made something in his chest swell to know that Rey looked to him for protection and comfort. 

They had set up candles around the house and the group was huddled around their phones, online shopping for all the sales they hadn’t gotten to profit from in their outing. Kylo was sprawled out on the couch with Rey under his arm on one side and Chewie curled up against his lap on the other. She occasionally asked him for his opinion on a few things, but mostly just scrolled intently on her phone as she added things to her cart. 

Kylo took mental note of some things she said were sold out or still out of her price range, knowing that he would surprise her on Christmas with everything she wanted and more. He was already planning a sort of weekend getaway for them during the holidays (he knew that she got some time off near Christmas and New Years), thinking about how much he would love to have Rey all to himself in a place where her friends couldn’t just pop in whenever they felt like surprising the two. 

It didn’t happen too often but the few times her friends had dropped in unexpectedly it always seemed like the most inconvenient times, one of those inconvenient times having been a particularly relaxing bath that Kylo and Rey had been indulging in. After that particular incident, Kylo had been doing some research of his own and had found a spa getaway that suited his needs and he was sure Rey would love. It was even dog friendly so they could take Chewie if they needed to, but he was hoping that Poe and Finn could take care of the little bundle of fur for the weekend. 

Kylo slumped down on the couch, propping his feet up on the table and leaning back, bringing Rey a bit down with him, feeling content and satisfied. Kylo had the whole weekend with Rey all to himself and he had half a mind to have them be snowed in for the rest of it the second Finn, Poe, and Rose left. Maybe he and Rey could finally get back to that nice, warm, relaxing bath again. He definitely wouldn’t mind that. 

  
  



	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble is a-brewin'

Rey was growing more and more curious, which when teamed up with her rising impatience, was not helping her situation. She wasn’t angry - no, not  _ angry _ . At least not  _ yet _ . But she was feeling increasingly frustrated. 

Rey knew that Kylo valued his privacy and was generally quiet about a lot of things pertaining to his personal life. While that didn’t generally bother Rey, Kylo was notoriously tight lipped about everything to the point that sometimes Kylo’s personal life was all Rey could think about. It was like the big elephant in the room that never got addressed, growing larger and larger as time went on. 

They had been going out for just over a month now and had spent most of their time together, with Kylo sleeping over at least a few times a week - but Rey had yet to even know where Kylo lived. She wasn’t even sure what part of Philadelphia he lived in. All of these unanswered queries led to even further questioning and spiraling. It wasn’t like Rey didn’t try to pry some answers out of him, but Kylo would always skirt around the subject or turn it back to her and it was starting to drive Rey crazy. 

Rey was so caught up in what Kylo’s personal life was like that she would find herself daydreaming about aspects of it during work. Would he have a neat house? Did he have a monochrome color palette or did he have some pops of color? What kind of art was on his walls? Did he have a modern looking space or was it homey? Were there family photos on his walls or on his desk? 

Rey wondered about where he grew up and his family. What kind of business was the family business (other than vaguely a “people business”)? Was Kylo’s childhood home full of light and laughter or was it cold and distant? Was Kylo’s father in the picture? She had never heard mention of any father figure and Rey was almost afraid to ask. She knew that Kylo wouldn’t necessarily be  _ upset _ if she brought it up, but she was so tired of being shut out that she didn’t want to mention it. 

Maybe she would have felt differently if she was less of a family-oriented person, but the truth was that her family and friends were her life, and she loved to share that aspect of herself with Kylo. The idea that he didn’t want to share back was starting to hurt. Rey knew that Kylo had mentioned some family drama and problems, but sometimes he would speak about his sister, Lilith, and he would recall a memory they shared with fondness before moving onto another topic. So it couldn’t all have been bad,  _ right _ ? 

Kylo had even mentioned that one time an old friend had come to visit him a handful of weeks ago and they had gotten sidetracked catching up, but Kylo never mentioned the friend again and never made any effort to introduce them. Rey just wished that Kylo would feel comfortable confiding in her about anything, especially if it was about his family or friends. 

They were moving so quickly and getting so wrapped up in each other that Rey had even been toying with the idea of mentioning the big “L” word, but some days Rey felt like she wasn’t even sure who Kylo Ren really was. Sure, Rey knew his favorite foods and desserts (how he loves chocolate and raspberries and has been developing a sweet tooth from all their baking and treats at the First Order) and some of his quirks (like pretending he doesn’t like romantic comedies but continuing to watch the movies even when Rey falls asleep and he could have changed the channel or show), but she also was more than aware that somebody’s upbringing, personal space, and social circle often made a big impact on that person. Was it too much to ask for just  _ one night _ at his apartment? 

Rey didn’t want to seem overly obsessed with the topic, but it was certainly beginning to weigh on her. She didn’t know how to bring it up, but the bottom line was that it was going to have to be mentioned sooner or later. As she turned around in bed and looked over at Kylo’s sleeping figure, Rey gazed at Kylo’s softened features as he slept and watched how his body moved up and down with his deep breaths, wondering whether the man beside her was simply a private man who wasn’t used to sharing his life or if there was the possibility of something darker - a deep, mysterious secret he wasn’t willing to share. Rey hoped it was the former. 

***

Rey woke up to a pair of hazel eyes peering into her own. She gave a start, surprised to see Kylo awake before her for a change. The man usually slept like a rock, dead to the world until Rey roused him. Kylo swore it was because he slept infinitely better with her around, but Rey was convinced he was just a ridiculously deep sleeper and didn’t want to admit it. Sometimes he would sleep so soundly that it almost seemed like he hadn’t gotten any sleep in years. 

“Good morning, Little One,” Kylo crooned, his voice still a bit hoarse and deep with sleep. 

“Why are you up?” Rey asked, stretching out and yawning. “You’re never up.”

“I’m not  _ never _ up,” Kylo replied, offense coloring his tone. Rey shot him a look and he rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’m not  _ usually  _ up. But I have presents!” 

“A present?” Rey quirked her eyebrow and widened her eyes. They hadn’t talked about any presents. It wasn’t quite Christmas yet, though the holiday was quickly approaching. Had Kylo already gotten her a Christmas present?

“Well, actually it’s presents. With an ‘s’. Do you want them?” 

It was Rey’s turn to roll her eyes at Kylo. “Of course!” 

“Close your eyes,” he instructed, turning around in bed after making sure that Rey had closed her eyes and covered them with her hands. She heard him shuffling around and then pad quietly back to the bed, the mattress shifting underneath his weight as he climbed on it again. 

“Okay, open them.” 

Rey opened her eyes to see what looked like two tickets in Kylo’s hands. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat, his dimples out on display. Rey snatched them eagerly from his hands and read them. “ _ OH MY GOD, _ ” Rey squealed, “ _ We’re going to see The Nutcracker in New York? _ ” 

“Yes, sweetheart. We are going to spend a couple of days in New York and one of the things we will be doing is going to the New York City Ballet and watching The Nutcracker. I know how much that show means to you and I already cleared your schedule with Poe.” Kylo was beaming now, obviously pleased with Rey’s reaction. 

“ _ Ky-lo _ ! What the  _ heck? _ ! This is so much, you didn’t have to do this. Thank you so much, baby! We could have just caught a show in Philly, honestly - but this is so incredible!” Rey gushed, unable to contain her excitement. She scoot closer to him, closing the distance between them, and wrapping him into a hug. Kylo hugged her back tightly, bringing her flush to his chest as he planted a kiss on her forehead. 

It was a family tradition of hers to go see The Nutcracker every year and she had made it a goal to go to New York one of these days to watch it be performed by the New York City Ballet. This was a true dream come to fruition and she was having a hard time not crying from her overwhelming joy, even though it wasn’t even happening for another week or two. 

Suspicions about Kylo be damned, he was truly an incredibly thoughtful boyfriend. So what if he never talked about his personal life and might as well be a serial killer on the nights he wasn’t with her? She was lucky to have his care and affection (just as long as she didn’t become his next target lest he actually turn out to be an unhinged murderer). 

***

Kylo was confused. He could sense that Rey was ecstatic but underneath the elation he could sense… apprehension? Was she doubting their relationship? Was she having second thoughts about him? He was tempted to peer into her mind but he had promised himself he would never betray her privacy like that...

Kylo was stirred from his inner panic by Rey’s bubbly voice, muffled against his chest. “You mentioned  _ presents.  _ As in more than one.” 

Kylo chuckled at Rey’s eagerness, though knew he had drawn out the distinction himself so he couldn’t blame her for being curious about it. “Well, like I said, we are going to be going up there for a while. And I will be taking care of everything and planning things. You can give some input and recommendations but I want to treat you for all of it and surprise you for some of it. Now, before you complain - I have the money and I’m not using it, and I want to spend it on you. Plus, I think we’ve earned some alone time. Your brother and Finn and Rose are great but I think we deserve to have some uninterrupted time. Just us.” 

Instead of responding, Rey caught Kylo off guard when she grabbed him by the neck and back of the head, pulling him in for a kiss. He hoisted Rey up the bed a little so she wasn’t under his chin anymore and deepened the kiss, more than happy with Rey’s reaction to his news. Kylo had been prepared to fight his little spitfire sweetheart, knowing that while she liked presents and to be treated every once in a while, that what Kylo was pulling was an abnormally large gesture. 

He wasn’t sure how quickly things moved in the mortal world, but Kylo knew what he wanted, and that was Rey and her happiness. In all honesty, Kylo was hoping to use the alone time to finally confess his love to Rey so he could finally reveal himself to her. He was anticipating that the time together would strengthen their bond and ease any worries either of them had. 

Kylo could sense that Rey was looking for more information about his personal life, and she had mentioned wanting to go visit his place every once in a while. It had been difficult to steer the conversation around those subjects, especially since the question of a living space would have been particularly tricky. Sure, he could have faked it but that seemed like an even larger lie somehow and he didn’t want to add on to his already growing list of deceptions. 

As Kylo thought about his dilemma, he found himself subconsciously drawing Rey nearer, deepening the kiss as if his life depended on it, as if she was going to break up with him in the next moment. Rey let out a small moan of surprise before pulling away. 

“And I thought  _ I  _ was the happy one that was supposed to be thanking  _ you _ ,” she teased. 

Kylo shrugged. “Making you happy makes me happy, Little One.” 

“God, you’re so sweet,” Rey giggled, giving Kylo an extra peck on the lips. “I love that about you. My big, strong, cuddly man.” 

Kylo’s heart sang at the praise, knowing that he would do anything and be anything if it meant that he got to keep Rey by his side. Hearing her say she loved something about him made his chest feel tight and his stomach to tie up in knots in the best way, wishing and hoping that her love of his individual traits extended to a love of him as a whole person. 

If you had told Kylo just a few months ago that this is what he would be like around a mortal he would have laughed in your face - but now? Now he couldn’t imagine any other life, even knowing that his past self and even his most trusted friend, Hux, would laugh at his actions today. He wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Now it was just a matter of divulging these feelings he had for Rey to her and making sure she didn’t run away when he also admitted he may have (sort of, kind of) been lying to her throughout the whole length of their relationship. What could go  _ that _ wrong if they were in love with each other, though? She’d have to come back to him eventually even if she was scared at first….  _ Right _ ? 

As Kylo held onto Rey, feeling her snuggling up to his chest again, he wondered what he had gotten himself into, his meddlesome mind supplying worst case scenarios that made him hold Rey tight against him. Kylo would just have to hope that Rey would hear him out before she closed him off, if she closed him off. He couldn't go back to a life without her, he wouldn’t allow it. She would just have to understand. Kylo would have to make her understand. Was locking Rey in their room while he confessed too far? 

  
  



	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, because it's a long one! But I *think* worth the wait!! ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One shot that accompanies this (read after this chapter if you don't want spoilers): https://archiveofourown.org/collections/A_Lesson_to_Learn/works/27535357

The car trip to New York was almost two hours including traffic. While Kylo had never driven a car before, he offered to be the one to drive so they could leave early and Rey could sleep in the car. He used his powers to help him drive and thanked the fact that he didn’t really need sleep so he could pull this nice gesture for Rey. 

Kylo Ren wanted this long weekend to go perfectly. If all went according to plan, he would confess his true feelings for Rey. He had a couple of activities he knew Rey would appreciate stored away and had found a beautiful hotel room for them to stay in that was luxurious and spacious. 

Rey was going to get the royal treatment that befitted her over the next couple of days, and Kylo couldn’t wait to spoil his princess rotten. If anyone deserved it, it was Rey. She was always looking after others and working hard at the First Order. It was time someone treated her for a change and Kylo planned to do just that. 

He looked over at the sleeping form next to him and smiled. It had only been a couple of minutes into the car ride, they weren’t even technically out of Philly yet, and Rey had passed out almost immediately. She had a travel pillow around her neck and was making soft snuffling noises, hugging her pillow tight to her body and angled away from him and towards the door. Kylo tucked some of her hair back behind her ear and she shifted slightly but didn’t move otherwise. Kylo chuckled to himself as he thought back to how she had teased him earlier,  _ and she had the audacity to call  _ me _ a deep sleeper _ . 

Kylo knew what she was talking about, though. Even though he didn’t need sleep, he felt as if the more time he spent bonded to Rey the more comfortable he became in his human-like cage. He slept more and ate more, and consequently also slept better when it was next to Rey. Kylo briefly wondered if Hux and Lilith ever slept together as a relaxing pastime. It wouldn’t be completely out of left field for demons, but it would be more of an activity than a necessity. Kylo found he enjoyed dreaming and then waking up next to his dream girl. 

Kylo continued driving for some time, letting his powers do the work as he let his mind wander, accompanied only by the quiet noises that would escape from Rey every now and then. When they neared New York, Kylo put his hand on Rey’s knee and gave it a light squeeze. He bit back a snort when she didn’t stir, tightening his grip on her knee for a moment. 

“W-what’s goin’ on?” Rey asked, her eyes drowsy and heavy with sleep, squinting against the bright light of the morning sun. 

“We’re in New York, sweetheart,” Kylo drawled, smiling over at her. That got Rey’s attention as she rolled her neck and stretched to wake herself. 

“Oh, goody!” she beamed at him once she was properly situated in her seat again. “What’s our plan?” 

“I think we should go get some breakfast. Check-in doesn’t start until eleven so we can kill some time that way. What do you think?”

“Sounds perfect!” Rey answered, her stomach letting out a low grumble in agreement. They both laughed and Kylo reached to grab Rey’s hand, lacing their fingers together, always thankful at how easily his laughter and smiles formed when it came to Rey. 

“Anywhere in particular that you want to go or want to eat?” Kylo asked, running his thumb over Rey’s knuckles as she looked out the window and pondered. 

In the end she shrugged, replying, “Anywhere is fine as long as they have good coffee and some food.”

“Done and done,” Kylo complied. “Find something for us? I’m good with everything you said.”

Rey hummed in response as she searched for a place, settling on a cozy rustic brunch place. She navigated them over to her pick, admiring the warm feeling of the restaurant when they entered, so inviting compared to the bitter cold that had picked up outside. 

They savoured bottomless coffees and a big brunch, picking several small things so they could taste the menu and share. When Rey ordered a hot chocolate with whipped cream and came away from sipping it with a frothy mustache, Kylo kissed her and tasted the sweetness of the drink mixed with Rey. He almost considered telling her he loved her right then and there before he thought against it. 

As silly and dramatic as it may seem, Kylo wanted to be alone with Rey when he told her. He wanted it to be intimate and special. Kylo felt so overcome with emotions when he thought about Rey that he felt anything less would be a disservice to her. He needed to tell her and show her what she meant to him, just in case his words weren’t enough. 

***

They finished up their food and went off to check-in to the hotel. Kylo had some things planned throughout but mostly it was an open weekend for whatever Rey wanted to do. He told Rey as much when they entered the room, settling their things into the entrance hallway while Rey walked into the room to check it out. 

“Kylo Jacen Ren.  _ You didn’t _ ,” she breathed, ogling the large room before her. The room was larger than her apartment and came complete with a kitchen, living room, and several doors leading away from the sitting room which she only assumed were bedrooms and bathrooms. 

“I did,” Kylo grinned, delighting in the reaction that Rey was having, feeling the excitement buzzing from her through their connection. It was electrifying.

“Oh, god! I have to go see the bathroom! I bet the tub is beautiful!” Rey shrieked, setting off on a little sprint towards the nearest door to try to find the main bedroom and master bath. Kylo chuckled at his girl, amused by her priorities. 

He followed languidly behind her when he saw her finally enter a room he assumed was the master bedroom. Kylo went into the room, and then strolled into the bathroom, finding Rey fully dressed and sitting in the bathtub, as joyful as a little kid during their birthday.

“It. Has. Jets! Kylo, get in here. It’s basically a swimming pool, babe!” Rey squealed, waving him over. 

Kylo settled himself across from her and found that he could stretch out his long frame without bothering Rey too much. Rey’s tub in her apartment was big enough for the both of them, but Kylo often had to bend his knees to fit properly and he was always worried that Rey was uncomfortable with all the room he would take up. She never complained but it didn’t stop the thought from crossing his mind. 

“Hmmm, we might need to upgrade your tub, Little One,” Kylo mused, his eyes shining with mirth. 

“Hey, I love my tub! It’s cozy!” Rey defended, sticking her tongue out at him. Kylo grabbed her foot next to his leg and gave it a playful squeeze in retaliation. 

“I suppose it is,” Kylo conceded, moving his hand up Rey’s leg and stroking her calf. 

“Do you want to settle in or do you want to do something?” he asked, working out the knots he felt under Rey’s jeans as he spoke. 

“Honestly this feels pretty good right now,” Rey murmured, her eyes slipping closed as she relaxed into his touch. 

“Well, I think I can do you one better, sweetheart,” Kylo said, giving her calf a little slap as he stood up and outstretched his hand to Rey so she could stand up, too. 

“I’ve booked us massages for whenever we want them at the spa here. I think a professional would probably do a better job than I could,” Kylo revealed before adding in with a wink, “And if they miss any spots, I’ll be sure to get them later.” 

***

The couple came back to the room smelling of orchid and jasmine, blissed out and sleepy. Kylo suggested they watch a movie and order some take out for lunch. It was Thursday night and the performance was on Saturday night. They would stay until Sunday after lunch, when they would head back later in the day. 

Kylo had disclosed some of his ideas for their long weekend, including ice skating, champagne and chocolate tasting at a French chocolatier store, and generally exploring the city to see what they found that would entertain them. Kylo had casually mentioned reading about this one special cafe that had hot chocolate with a marshmallow in the shape of a flower in the center. Rey had looked at him in awe after that, impressed by the amount of work and research he had put into the weekend and the amount of care he showed in his planning. It was clear that Kylo had planned with Rey in mind and had taken some pages from those romantic comedies he always denied enjoying. 

This afternoon and night was for relaxing and basking in each other’s company, though. Once they had ordered their food they snuggled up on the bed and they clicked on the tv, content to just be with one another. Kylo had his arms wrapped around Rey, bringing her close to lay on his chest. He leaned down to kiss her temple and breathed in the delicious scent of the massage oil on her skin. 

“We have to go back and buy that later. It smells amazing, Little One,” Kylo murmured against her skin, his nose and lips still pressed against her. 

“I won’t argue with that. I saw some bath oils and salts, too. We should pick that up and make good use of that tub,” Rey suggested, sinking into Kylo’s warm hold. She was so relaxed she could just fall asleep where she was. 

***

Before she knew it, Rey was being roused awake for lunch, having actually fallen asleep in Kylo’s arms. They ate their lunch in companionable silence and Rey proposed going out and trying to find some holiday themed attractions and lights to look at tonight before going out to eat. Looking around at the kitchen in the room, Rey also mentioned that they could make gingerbread cookies and houses. 

“You want to bake? On vacation?” Kylo asked, confused. 

“It’s not just baking, Kylo. It’s decorating and creating and then getting to eat delicious cookies after,” Rey laughed. Kylo looked doubtful but had to admit that he wouldn’t mind snacking on some cookies throughout the weekend. Rey had made him a few gingerbread lattes since December had rolled around and Kylo had enjoyed the spicy cinnamon intermingled with the sweetness of the brown sugar. 

“Whatever you want, sweetheart. This weekend is for you,” he answered, bringing Rey into his arms and laying a kiss on the top of her head. Rey wiggled closer into his hold, breathing in his scent and appreciating the heat of his body as if he were her very own furnace. 

After some time, the two got ready to face the bitter cold in search for some holiday fun, bundled up in sweaters and coats. It was mid afternoon by the hour they set out, so Kylo suggested they could go to the winter village in Bryant Park to look over some of the holiday shops and decorations, then stick around for lights and dinner before stopping by the grocery store and then heading home. 

They roamed around the kiosks and perused all of the artisanal crafts, foods, and trinkets the vendors had to offer. When they passed one or two tents that had gingerbread cookies, Kylo tried to convince Rey that buying pre-made cookies would be faster. Rey quickly shut him down, however, and let him know that the most fun and memorable part of gingerbread cookies during the holidays included the baking and decorating together. Kylo rolled his eyes but conceded, eyeing the cookies as Rey dragged him away. 

As they came to a section full of bath and body products, Rey immediately started shoving products into Kylo’s face, asking his opinion on different scents so they could take some bath oils and salts to try out in their luxurious bathtub. Kylo ended up buying a lot more products than Rey approved of, but he reassured Rey he had plenty of baths planned in their future. Rey had truly introduced Kylo to some of the finer things in life, and after years of being stuck in a dusty second hand shop, Kylo was more than willing to indulge as much as possible considering he had the time and means. Especially if it meant more alone time with a very naked Rey, which if Kylo was being completely honest was more than just a fun perk. 

They wandered around for a while before getting a couple of things to eat from different vendors, sitting down on a bench and relishing in the different foods. As the evening settled upon the park, the lights began to be turned on, turning the park into a colorful twinkling attraction. Once they were done with their food, Kylo took Rey’s hand and they walked around the park that was now shrouded in the magic of the lights. 

Rey convinced Kylo to stand with her under the tree for some photos, and as much as Kylo pretended to protest, he was secretly glad to have the memories saved to look back on. The other couple who had snapped their pictures complimented them on being such a cute and attractive couple, which made a blush spread on their cheeks that was unrelated to the cold wind before they exchanged the favor and took some pictures of the other couple. 

Before they headed home they stopped by the grocery store to get some ingredients for baking the next day, deciding to leave it for the next morning so they could relax and doze. The two fell asleep in each other’s arm, both blissfully content and with the unspoken words of love on their lips. 

***

The next day, Friday, was full of adventures and first times. Rey woke Kylo up after letting him sleep in for a bit while she prepared everything for their baking. They ordered some breakfast before starting on their task, with Kylo listening patiently and carefully to Rey’s instructions as they mixed, stirred, and whisked the makings of the dough. Kylo couldn’t resist flicking some of the mix onto Rey, inciting a small food fight that ended in plenty of giggles and flour-y kisses. While the dough was chilling they ate their breakfast, which had come with perfect timing, choosing to sit and eat before they finished up and then cleaned up. 

Once they were ready to make the shapes of the cookies, Rey directed Kylo to cut some out to be gingerbread people and some to be the makings of the house. They had bought plenty of cookie cutters, decoration candies, and frosting in preparation for the finished product. When the cookies went into the oven they ran to the shower, with Rey chastising Kylo that he better keep his hands to himself if he didn’t want burnt cookies. Kylo pouted but didn’t put up a fight, the promise of cookies and attention from Rey later being enough motivation. 

When the cookies were done and cooled, the two set about making a small gingerbread village with some people and the house. They had baked too much for just the two of them to eat over the weekend, but they’d bought some tupperware to be able to bring cookies home to their friends. The decorating session ended up with more candy snuck by and eaten by Kylo than what ended up on the actual cookies, with Rey pretending to be mad before dissolving into a fit of laughter at the sweet toothed monster she had created from all his visits to the First Order. 

Their afternoon was filled with ice skating and teasing and Kylo showing off on the ice as he pulled Rey along. Rey was content to be led along by Kylo’s better ice skating skills, unaware that they were purely the work of his supernatural magic instead of innate to Kylo considering this was his first time on the ice. He spun her around and dipped her and did all types of tricks as he tugged her along, doing anything that would elicit a full smile or giggle from Rey. 

When they finished up they went to go get the special hot chocolate Kylo had mentioned - it contained a flowering marshmallow that opened up and blossomed once placed in the hot chocolate to reveal a small bonbon inside. Kylo beamed at Rey’s awe-filled surprise and wide eyes when her marshmallow unfolded into a flower, deciding that the wait they had endured to try out the popular treat was more than worth it for that reaction. 

After their chocolate-y treat they went home to get ready and Kylo took Rey out to dinner, enjoying the setting of a low-lit dinner that was romantic and intimate. The restaurant had given them a private area per Kylo’s request, which made it seem like they were having a quiet dinner at home in just a fancier setting. Kylo let Rey know their plan for tomorrow which involved the champagne and chocolate tasting, more pampering, and the event that she had been looking forward to, The Nutcracker performance. 

The rest of their evening was filled with pillow talk and kisses, movies that were long abandoned in favor of conversing with one another and memorizing each other’s every feature. Kylo felt a warmth in his heart as the love he held for Rey blossomed much like the marshmallow flower in the hot chocolate, feeling nervous and excited to share his feelings with her the following day after what he hoped would be a successful outing. 

***

By the time they had to leave to go to see the ballet, Kylo was more than thankful for the champagne in his system and the relaxing spa day that he and Rey had had. He felt his heart beating out of his chest and his hands become clammy with the prospect of having to lay his feelings bare to the woman he loved, understanding now the full extent of the fear of rejection that accompanied such a vulnerable declaration. Rey sat next to him in the car completely unaware of his inner turmoil, content to hold his hand even though he was sure it was sweaty and gross, always happy to just be curled up by his side. 

Kylo barely paid attention to the ballet, focusing more attention on Rey’s hand on his thigh and her warm presence next to him and the comfort it gave him, wondering if he would have to endure time without that if she didn’t feel the same way or if she stopped reciprocating those feelings once he confessed his next big secret. 

On the way home, Kylo consciously had to stop from bouncing his knee from the anxiety coursing through him, trying to focus most of his efforts on Rey as she gushed about the performance and everything she loved about it.  Every time that Rey mentioned she  _ loved _ a certain dance, part of music, or costume and set design it made Kylo’s uneasiness skyrocket, his mind going a million miles a minute as it raced with all the ways this could go so right or so wrong. Kylo’s chest tightened at the thought of rejection as he looked out the window to distract himself, focusing on the view and on Rey and on everything he was thankful to have with her. 

***

Once they had clambered out of the car and gotten to the hotel suite, Rey was determined to find out what had her boyfriend on the fritz. She turned to him tentatively once he shut the door and began to ramble, “Kylo, are you okay? You barely said a word this whole time and now you look like you want to stick your head in the blender or do literally anything else but be here. Are you having second thoughts about our relationship? Is this all too soon too fast-” 

Rey was cut off by Kylo’s strangled cry as he rushed to rectify the situation, “NO! Rey, no absolutely not! I’m not having any doubts about this, about us. I just-”

Kylo struggled with his hands in the air as he tried to think about how to phrase it, moving to run his hands through his hair, a sign of how nervous he was. “I just can’t stop thinking about how much… about how much I love you, Rey, and it’s eating me up because I haven’t told you yet and I’ve been thinking this for a while,” he finally squeaked out, unable to meet her eyes for fear of the rejection that may be facing him there.

Rey had to bite her lip to keep from rolling her eyes. _ Had this been it this whole time?  _ Was he just nervous that she wouldn’t feel the same? She would have to be an idiot to not love the man before her. Rey came closer to Kylo, taking in his head hung low and his eyes fixed on the floor, her big protector reduced to a small boy at the prospect of sharing his feelings.  _ If only he knew how much I love him back,  _ Rey thought, placing her hands on his chest as she stepped up to him. 

She tilted his chin so that he was forced to meet her eyes, meeting those warm honeyed pools of his that had depths of emotion and feeling to them, full of worry and hesitation but love and hope as well. Rey smiled up at him, her smile reaching her eyes and filling her face as she gazed into the puppy dog eyes of the man before her. If he wasn’t so distraught she would have teased him for his perfect pout. She could tell that that face was going to get her in trouble and she hoped that he wouldn’t break her heart, as she prepared to hand it over to him willingly. 

“Is that it, honey? That you love me?” she started, her voice soft and low as if she was talking to a scared animal. “Well, guess what? I love you, too, Kylo. I have for a while, I think.” 

Rey felt Kylo relax beneath her hands, his eyes searching her face for any sign of deception, taking in her earnest expression. When he had found her to be speaking truthfully, Kylo gave a small almost imperceptible nod of acceptance as his face broke out into a smile of its own, his dimples deepening and his eyes shining as his hands came to meet hers on his chest. He brought her hands to cup his face and then Kylo moved his hands to grab Rey’s face and bring her in close, meeting her lips in a soft and sweet kiss. Rey closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, any worries she might have had about the relationship dissolving in that moment. Maybe he would break her heart and maybe he wouldn’t, but for now this moment was their own and that was all that mattered. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty and fluffy one shot time!: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/A_Lesson_to_Learn/works/27535357


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends! Sorry for the long wait! I am finally on winter break which means hopefully more regular posting. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! I tried to keep it a little light hearted and fun before a bit of angst sets in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After they come home from the Christmas party, before they go into the next day there is a one shot: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28075455 
> 
> You can technically read it after you finish the chapter, but chronologically it fits in right there because it's set on the night of the Christmas party.

Coming back home after finally confessing to Rey his true feelings had only somewhat eased the anxiety in Kylo’s heart. He may have told her he loved her, but that was only a small portion of what he was hiding from her. Kylo knew that traditionally families tended to get together over the holidays and as things barreled towards Christmas and New Years, Kylo only got more and more worried. 

Rey had been asking about his family even more as they approached Christmas, voicing her concern that his family hadn’t reached out to him in order to make plans. Kylo had told her his family wasn’t the traditional holiday sort and that usually they didn’t celebrate, which he could tell Rey was having a hard time wrapping her head around, not quite able to let go of the subject in her mind. Kylo could feel the tension when the topic was broached and his chest tightened as he realized his time of enjoying this domestic bliss without consequences was running out. 

Rey had even inquired about what he would be doing to decorate his apartment, to which Kylo had to fight back the bark of laughter that threatened to erupt from deep within his belly. She had eased up on going to his apartment and hanging out, but Kylo could still tell it was a sore spot for her and that she was confused as to why they had yet to go see his place. His latest excuse was that they were doing some renovations so that he was going to be living away from his apartment for a while. That had lightened the questioning somewhat, but he could tell Rey wasn’t convinced by his varying excuses. 

He mulled over his predicament as he dutifully followed Rey down the aisles for their latest shopping adventure. Today they were on the hunt for ugly Christmas sweaters for the both of them so that they could be appropriately dressed for the holiday party that Finn and Poe would be throwing. Kylo had protested on the clothing but given in after Rey insisted that while the sweater may be ugly, that Kylo himself would always be handsome to her. Kylo had blushed under her praise, having secretly hoped that his grumbling would have earned him a compliment and a kiss. In the end, he had gotten both. 

Kylo stole glances at Rey as she browsed through all of the garments in the local thrift store, eyeing the new braid that she was sporting. Kylo had finally (mentally) taken the next big step in their relationship by gently plaiting her hair into one that denoted courtship for mates, the style a lot more intricate than the ones she had been wearing before. Rey had gushed over it, showering him in kisses until they both dissolved into a fit of giggles. 

Kylo was hoping to teach Rey how to braid his hair for the holiday party, eager to match in both their ugly sweaters and their hairstyles. He figured he deserved to feel her hands brushing through his hair while she styled it at least once before he might be away from her for a while. The thought of it had his heart sinking into the recesses of his lower ribcage, the weight heavy and nauseating, but Kylo knew that if he truly loved her (which he did) that Rey deserved to know the truth.

Kylo had given himself the deadline of New Years to tell Rey about his true identity and he found himself having visceral reactions to the thought of telling her, dread setting in as his heart would race. He would reach out to her in these times when he felt overwhelmed and anxious, seeking her out amidst his inner turmoil and darkness, preparing himself for the days where he might not be able to reach out to her so easily. 

Kylo closed his eyes and shook his head free from those thoughts. Right now he had other, more pressing things to think about - like whether he would rather get a light up sweater or one that made noise. The silly shopping trip seemed like a lifesaver as he zeroed in his focus on the options Rey was pointing out to him, straining to keep his mind occupied lest it dwell on his impending heartbreak again. 

***

“I think we should get these,” Rey mused, holding up two sweaters that depicted different scenes from her favorite space action movie series. 

“Are you serious?” Kylo answered, eyebrow raising up in question. 

“Deadly, Ren,” Rey responded, fixing him with an icy glare that was more playful than harmful. She knew how much Kylo didn’t enjoy the movies and she secretly loved to tease her grump of a boyfriend. “I want to match and at least this way we have a theme!” 

“Isn’t the theme just  _ Christmas _ ?” 

“Ky-lo. You’re not being very fun,” Rey teased, waving the sweaters in her hands. One of them started making laser gun sounds and she laughed at the sudden outburst of noise. “You can pretend you’re shooting people! I’ll even get you a toy blaster.” 

Kylo rolled his eyes but his smile gave him away as he relented. Rey did a little fist bump in celebration as she put the sweaters in the cart. 

“Don’t get too excited, this is a conditional yes,” Kylo warned, waiting for Rey to turn back around to face him. He stepped forward and grabbed Rey by the waist, bringing her flush against his body as he leaned down to make eye contact with her. Rey felt her heart beat out of her chest, always mesmerized by how good looking Kylo was, feeling a little like prey in the arms of a predator as he wrapped his arms around her. 

“One, I want a saber instead - I think they’re cooler. A red one,” he started, inching his face closer to Rey’s as he nuzzled his nose against hers, giving her a chaste kiss before he continued, “And two, you have to admit that I’m better looking than that dude Ben Solo or whatever.” 

Rey pretended to think about it before she pushed off from his hold, hissing a quick, “ _ Never _ !” before attempting to dart off. Kylo was much quicker than her as he took one large step and enveloped her in his arms once more, bringing her back towards him, her back hitting his chest with a thump. 

“Say it,” he growled, nipping at her ear, eyes narrowed. 

“Make me, Ren,” Rey challenged. 

“You won’t like what I do if I have to make you, Little One,” Kylo snarled, pulling her a little tighter to his chest. 

Rey wriggled in Kylo’s hold, barely able to move in the constricting embrace he held her in. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Kylo taunted as he loosened his hold and began tickling Rey.

Rey buckled over, red faced and giggling like a schoolchild as Kylo viciously attacked her before she finally begged for mercy, more out of fear of drawing attention to themselves in the small store and the need to catch her breath than anything. “Fine!  _ Fine _ ! I think that, you,  _ Kylo Ren _ , are more attractive than  _ Ben Solo, _ ” she spit out between big heaving breaths. 

“ _ Good _ ,” Kylo jeered with no real malice, obviously pleased that his evil plan had worked. He gave her another quick kiss on the cheek before letting her go with a, “Now was that so hard?” 

Rey straightened up, gathering the last of her dignity as she shot daggers at Kylo before cracking a smile. “I guess not,” she admitted, leaning forward for a kiss that Kylo gladly gave. She grabbed his hand as she added, “Come on, you big baby, let’s go check out and go to the other store to get your lightsaber.”

*** 

The night of the Christmas party, which was at Finn and Poe’s house this time, Rey had to chastise Kylo in order to finally rush him out of the house since Kylo had been more interested in instigating fights with his new lightsaber. Rey regretted the purchase for all of two seconds before she saw Kylo theatrically leap over the couch to make a swipe at her, unable to stop the guffaw that escaped her lips. Sometimes Kylo was so serious and intense that Rey wondered what went on behind those pensive eyes and other times he was…  _ this  _ \- a playful, silly puppy. 

“You are so dramatic! Come on, we’re gonna be late,” she chided, no real anger behind her words. She gave him an amused once-over, taking in his mussed hair and flushed cheeks from the exertion, the small braid he had taught her still holding on for dear life on the side of his head. 

“Do you give up? Will you come quietly as my prisoner back to my master?” 

“If I say yes will  _ you _ come quietly to the party?” 

“Maybe,” was his huffed reply, which quickly turned into a quiet and reluctant “yes _ ”  _ when Rey shot him a look. 

“Fine, I surrender,” Rey answered, putting her hands up. Kylo smiled as he approached her with the lightsaber now at his side. 

“Thought so,” he murmured, crowding her against the door. Rey’s breath hitched as he stole a kiss, and she blinked up at him when he pulled away, her breath knocked out of her by the only man who had ever had such an effect on her - the only man she had ever loved. 

“Okay, now we can go,” Kylo winked, moving to open the door before he shuffled back into the kitchen to grab some snacks and drinks they were tasked with bringing. 

“You know, if you want to kiss me you can just do it. You don’t have to make it such a sensational...,” Rey started, gesticulating in the air to find the words. “... Event.” 

“I know - but where’s the fun in that? Just trying to spice things up, sweetheart - you’ll thank me when we’re withered and old and you’re still laughing at my dumb jokes. Anyway, you’re always free to take out your anger on me after the party,” Kylo teased with another wink, giving her a good-natured slap on her behind before they walked out the door. 

***

The Christmas party was full of good food and better company, the drinks flowing freely and the games getting messier as the night went on. Kylo beamed inside every time someone complimented Rey or him on their braid, now something that those they were close to would look forward to seeing, wondering what new intricate design would grace their hair that day. 

Rey, however, took great joy in all the compliments they received on their matching sweaters, especially knowing now how much Kylo secretly enjoyed the lightsabers and goofing around with the toys. He could complain all he wanted but Rey would chuckle to herself all the while, knowing the whole truth about her grouchy yet fun-loving manchild of a boyfriend. 

The night truly descended into chaos, though, when drunk twister was suggested as the next game. Apart from playing in their already inebriated state, part of the rules were that you took a drink (or a shot if you were so brave) after your chosen color was played or after someone else fell. After Kylo mysteriously won three rounds in a row, still seemingly unaffected by the alcohol, a more than slightly drunk Rey confronted him, complaining that it wasn’t fair.

“Sweetheart, I’m like three times your size. I think it’s more than fair,” he said, nuzzling his nose into Rey’s hair. 

Rey let her hand pound against Kylo’s solid chest with a  _ thump _ . “I want to win!” 

Kylo chuckled as he grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his mouth so he could press a kiss across her knuckles. “Do you want some help?” 

“Kind of,” Rey mumbled, supporting herself on Kylo as she swayed a bit in her drunken state. 

“Okay, I’ll help you,” Kylo said, the rumble of his deep baritone reverberating against Rey’s body as she leaned into him. Rey nodded absentmindedly, wondering what he had in mind. 

***

Kylo led himself and Rey back to the main group, proposing one more game of drunken twister to crown the victor. A tipsy Finn cheered, pulling a more sober Poe along for the ride as he grabbed another shot. “Alright, let’s go, Ren! Let’s see if we can’t beat you yet!” 

“Actually, Rey is going to be playing in my place,” Kylo answered, a mischievous grin playing at his features. 

“Rey can barely walk,” Finn hiccuped, trying not to laugh and look intimidating as he sized the larger man up. 

“I think she’ll do just fine, won’t you, sweetheart?”

“Yup,” Rey said enthusiastically, popping the “p”. She held onto Kylo as she puffed her chest out and tried to stand tall, calling out, “Come at me, Storm!”

“Alright, girl! Save it for the mat!” Finn laughed, handing Poe the spinning board as players lined up along the mat. Kylo was somewhat surprised to see a late arriving Vicrul joining in at the corner. He hadn’t spotted him before but wondered what it meant that Rose had now invited him to two holiday outings - things must have started getting more serious between them. 

Before he could dwell on the new player for too long, Rey turned to face Kylo, cupping his face and asking with all the seriousness a petite woman just a few drinks away from blacking out could muster, “You’ve got me right?” 

Kylo fixed his gaze on the hazy dazed one of his partner as he smiled and promised, “Always. Now go get ‘em!” 

Rey nodded resolutely once and Kylo bit back a laugh as she made her way to the mat, still looking a little bit like a newborn giraffe as she got her bearings. As the game went along, Kylo used his magic to steady Rey and lightly nudge her competitors, until just she and Finn were left on the mat. 

Poe called out right hand and blue for Finn, eliciting a groan from the player since he had picked the color blue and would now have to down another drink. As Poe came over to carefully give his boyfriend the drink, Kylo took the opportunity to gently push Finn over in the direction away from Rey. As Rey stood and cheered, turning to Kylo to wrap him in a hug, Kylo could hear Finn grumble about how he “swears something pushed me over” as Poe teased him for being a sore loser.

Rey jumped into Kylo’s arms and Kylo caught her with an “ _ oof”  _ escaping him at the force of impact. “Did ya see me win, honey? Did ya? It was like something was holding me up the whole time! Like magic,” Rey slurred, her warm breath fanning his face as she gave him a kiss on the cheek while he nodded along. 

“Was that you? Did you use your special boyfriend powers to hold me up against big mean Finn?” she teased. 

Kylo raised an eyebrow in response, “Special boyfriend powers? I think maybe we need some water, Little One.” 

“Whatever you say,  _ Ky-lo _ . I don’t know how you did it but even  _ I  _ can tell how drunk I am and know I probably shouldn’t have won that. I swear it felt like you were right there holding me up. Strangest thing,” Rey wondered out loud with a laugh, resting her head in the crook of his neck as he took them into the kitchen to get some water. Kylo gulped nervously as he set her down on the kitchen counter and got some water, thankful that Rey probably wouldn’t remember too much when she woke up the next day. 

***

When Rey didn’t mention anything off about the twister game she’d won at the Christmas party, Kylo thought he had been in the clear. He couldn’t be more wrong as he sat down at Rey’s table after making coffee for the both of them the next day, finding her with her head in her hands and strong emotions emanating from her through the bond. 

“Rey?” he questioned, concern evident in his tone. “Are you okay? What’s wrong? You can tell me, sweetheart.” 

Kylo was taken aback slightly when he heard what sounded like a muffled guffaw sound from behind Rey’s hands. “Rey?”

Rey uncovered her face and let another laugh escape before she groaned and scrubbed her hands down the side of her face. “You know I don’t even know? I’m not sure if this is even a problem - and if it is, it might be the best problem I’ve ever had!” 

Kylo tilted his head, trying to parse out the emotions that were bubbling forth from Rey through the bond - confusion, anger, happiness, all of it only adding to his own confusion. “Sweetheart? What’s going on?”

Rey handed him the paper that laid before her before she sunk back down in her seat and buried her face in her hands again, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Kylo swallowed thickly, feeling all the air rush out of his lungs and his stomach drop as he read the letter. It was from Rey’s bank, informing her of a large deposit put into her savings account from her investment portfolio. 

The letter detailed the sum he had added there himself, as well as the more than generous profit margin she’d earned since he had transferred her investment portfolio to one of the best investors in the world just a few short weeks ago. The amount she had earned in the short time was considerable, enough for her to be able to take a few years off of work and travel or pick up a new subject in school or just lounge around to her heart’s content. 

Kylo had hoped that it would be a year or more before this news would reveal itself, but it seemed the bank had a policy of depositing these amounts every few months considering their size, and the letter also raised the question of whether Rey would want to open up another account to hold the funds. As Kylo let his gaze drift back to Rey who had now taken to muttering to herself about “how is this possible?” and “who could have done this?”, Kylo realized his time had quickly run out. There was no more hiding. 

Kylo put the piece of paper down on the table and took a deep steadying breath, hoping the act would calm him, but in reality it did nothing to ease the panic that had set in - his hands already feeling clammy as his body temperature rose and his heart thundered in his chest, blood rushing through his veins. 

“Rey, sweetheart, we need to talk,” he whispered with all the care of someone approaching a wounded animal. How had everything gone so wrong? 

  
  



	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All aboard the pain train, friends. Don't worry - it won't last long!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies! A couple of announcements! 
> 
> First, thank you so much for reading and leaving kudos and comments. It honestly makes my day and it blows me away that this has over 5,000 hits. This story is my baby and I'm so glad other people enjoy it. 
> 
> Second, you'll notice there is finally a chapter count! I am thinking this will end around 22 chapters, but it's possible it may have 1 or 2 more, I'll let you know as I write! 
> 
> Third - you will not be left in pain! I am currently writing Chapter 20 and it will be posted tonight. I am no good at handling angst so I didn't want you all to be on the pain train for too long. It will be a short ride :P
> 
> Okay, enough of me talking! Hope you enjoy:) Let me know what you think! Love you all and happy new year's eve/day!

Rey eyed Kylo wearily as he came to sit next to her, he could feel through the bond that she was confused as well as overwhelmed by the news of her newfound small fortune. Kylo tried to smile reassuringly at her, but even he knew it was half-hearted. 

“What do we need to talk about, Kylo?” Rey asked when he had finally settled in, her voice strained. 

“Before I start, I want you to know that I’ve been trying to find a good time to tell you this for a while now, and that nothing I say changes how I feel about you -  _ at all.  _ I still love you. So much, Rey. You have no idea how much,” Kylo started, reaching out to Rey. She moved her hand from his before he could make contact, obviously put on edge by his lead up. Kylo’s heart started to break a little at the small movement, nerves escalating rapidly at this rejection. 

Rey gave him a stiff nod to urge him to continue. He looked at her with searching eyes, willing, imploring, almost begging through his gaze that she would understand as he started, “I’m not who you think I am.” 

Kylo told Rey everything. He told her who he really was, with a demonstration to prove himself as he set the kitchen on fire with a burst of flames that didn’t burn and only raged brightly around them, the orange and white licking at them without hurting them or the room around them. Kylo quenched the fire when he saw tears forming in her eyes, and could feel Rey’s mounting distress.

He took the fact that Rey hadn’t run away yet as a glimmer of hope in the sea of desperation he was already beginning to feel roil in his stomach. Maybe she would take the time to fully hear him out? Maybe then things would be better - once he admitted everything? 

Kylo swallowed thickly as he forged ahead, telling her about his past, about how he did something grave enough to earn him this punishment (sparing her the details of the event) and about how he was bound to the ring. He watched on nervously as Rey took all of this information in, now slumped over the table with her head in her hands, shaking her head back and forth slowly as the words poured from his mouth. 

As Kylo broached the topic of his concealment and his bond to the ring (and therefore to her), Rey cut him off, the first time she had spoken since he began his confession. 

“When I told you about myself - did you already know all of that? Were you just pretending to get to know me? Playing some sort of sick game, just happy to have left that thrift shop? Was I anything more than a cheap thrill for you? Some dumb little mortal you could take advantage of for a taste of freedom?” she asked, her body shaking as she tried to contain the sobs that threatened to burst forth. 

Kylo opened his mouth in shock, nothing could be further from the truth. He struggled to find the words, jaw gaping and hands gesticulating wildly in the air as he tried to grasp the necessary phrases to string them forward and offer comfort. 

Rey narrowed her eyes at his stumbling efforts before she added, “Is this why I feel right with you? Why I have this connection with you? Is any of this real?” 

Kylo tried not to completely panic as he finally found it in himself to blurt out, “ _ Is that what you think _ ? That’s not how this works, Rey. What we have is real. I could  _ never _ fake that!” 

“But you faked getting to know me and faked everything else,” Rey mumbled, tears flowing freely now as she shook her head at him. 

“I  _ never _ looked in your mind, Rey. Everything I learned I learned from you,” Kylo stressed, trying to make her understand. 

“Maybe so, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you basically stalked me and then earned my trust in this sick perverted way. You knew who I was the whole time and you had this…. This weird access to my emotions and to my life!” Rey spat out, her energy bouncing between insecurity to confusion to anger to sadness all in a span of seconds. The emotions crashed into Kylo like giant waves that were battering him around under water, further drowning Kylo in the mess he had created. 

“And this- this  _ money. _ Where did it come from? Did you steal the money from someone? Did you steal my personal information? That’s not fucking cool, Kylo. What did you do?” she urged, her eyes tight as she pleaded with him for information. 

“ _ No _ , nothing like that. This money is yours. I just invested it in the right places and got the right people to help. Through- through my…  _ abilities, _ ” Kylo ground out, finding it hard to put into words as he was scrambling to keep his emotions in check and get a handle on the situation that had already gotten so far out of his control. 

Rey looked at him with a look that burned through him, her eyes saying everything her mouth wasn’t able to as she attempted to understand everything that he had said and admitted to. Kylo sensed that he no longer had her trust, her very being questioning everything that he was saying right now - all of his confessions and all of his explanations.

Kylo could feel her slipping through his fingers, could feel her closing him out, slowly untangling the tendrils of love and happiness and  _ him _ that he had managed to weave through her and had used to win over her heart. She was ripping it all out, preparing herself to pick up and go, preparing herself to  _ leave him.  _

Kylo moved to comfort Rey as her body shook with soft, almost silent cries, but she recoiled from his touch. That hurt Kylo more than he could bear to think. Rey didn’t want his comfort, didn’t want  _ him. _

For the first time in his life, Kylo felt truly powerless. Even more so that when he had first been imprisoned. His heart dropped all the way to his stomach, his hands feeling clammy as his heart raced.  _ No _ , she had said she loved him. This wasn’t the way this was supposed to go. He wasn’t ready for this. Wasn’t ready for it to be over. 

He had foolishly hoped that his love for her and her love for him would be enough to outweigh who he was. But could she really love someone when she didn’t even know who he was? What he was? She had lain herself bare before him in every possible way while he had selfishly withheld important information time and time again. Now that she knew the truth, Kylo could tell she wasn’t even sure she could believe what he said. 

He had no one to blame but himself and that hurt the most - knowing it was his fault that he had possibly lost the most important thing in his immortal life. He may have eternal life, but in this moment Kylo Ren truly felt as if he were dying. 

***

Rey didn’t know what to think. Not only was she no longer sure who the man (thing? demon?) before her was but now she also had to grapple with the idea that there was an afterlife and other beings out there, including a very real, very present and alive  _ devil _ . 

She was overwhelmed, confused, heartbroken, and a whole flurry of other sensations. Her body felt like it was nothing except for feelings right now, a new one whizzing through her body every split second as her mind whirled from all of the information. 

Rey closed her eyes and took a deep inhale and then a long exhale, trying to calm her body. She had finally stopped crying, thank goodness, allowing her at least the semblance of control over one aspect of her life and body right now. Kylo had sat across from her the whole time, looking as distraught as a kicked puppy. 

He had at least stopped begging and pleading with her to understand, had finally realized she needed time to come to grips with all of this in her own time. Thank god for small mercies. 

Rey put her palms on the table, letting the cool surface ground her as she stood on shaky legs. Kylo made a move to follow her but she shot him a look that instantly had him back in the chair. 

Rey rose to her full height, and looked down at Kylo, trying to gather all of her strength and courage so as to not stutter through her words. “I need some time to think,” she said, meeting his wounded gaze. 

“Think about what?” Kylo whispered, his voice hoarse and low. His eyes were red-rimmed from the few tears that he had been unable to stop from escaping him.  _ Funny _ , Rey thought briefly,  _ I didn’t know the devil could cry.  _

“I don’t know, Kylo. I just need to think - about all this. Give me some time. Please, don’t be here when I come back… or at least make it so I can’t see you,” she asked, her voice shaking a bit at the end.  _ Damn.  _

Rey turned away from Kylo, calling Chewie to her before she put his leash on and walked to the door. She hesitated, fighting the urge to look back at him, before she shrugged it off, willing it away as she shook her head once more and opened the door to leave. 

A last minute thought raced through her mind as she thumbed the ring that had been on her hand for just a few short months, quickly having become her favorite piece of jewelry, and then took it off, placing it on the table next to the door. 

She heard as well as felt Kylo’s heartbreaking sob as she stepped out of her apartment, unaware of how Kylo had sensed every ounce of betrayal through the bond before she took it off and how his heart had shattered when she removed the ring, ending the bond abruptly. 

***

When Rey came back, it was already beginning to get dark outside. She had gone walking to clear her head, then ate lunch out and played with Chewie in the park. A part of her had wished she’d had the sense to pack before leaving so she could make a clean break from the apartment for a while, but unfortunately she hadn’t - which meant entering her apartment again and possibly seeing Kylo.

As she turned the key in the lock, she prayed and hoped that he had respected her wishes and at least concealed himself. From what little Kylo had explained about the “bond” as he called it, he was bound to the ring and wouldn’t be able to leave wherever the ring was, especially if the ring wasn’t being worn by somebody. 

This thought at least comforted Rey by letting her know he couldn’t follow her around and stalk her unbeknownst to her as she cleared her mind and distanced herself from the situation. Rey had already texted Rose and asked if she and Chewie could spend some time at her apartment, giving her a vague notion that she and Kylo had split up, if not completely broken up. 

Rey wasn’t sure whether this was for good or not. She honestly didn’t want to think about it yet. She had a lot to process and she no longer had the energy to mull over it tonight. 

Rey entered her home, unsure of what she was expecting. The place was empty, looking every bit as quiet and boring as it usually did. As Rey closed her door she called out, “I’m going to pack. Please, don’t come out. I’m going to stay at Rose’s for a while. You can stay here until we figure something out.” 

Rey felt a little crazy as she spoke to nothing, but really what hadn’t felt crazy ever since Kylo told her everything this morning? Rey hoped that Kylo had heard her as she unclipped Chewie so he could eat while she started to pack and gather her things. 

She grabbed a duffel bag that was still not totally unpacked from their New York trip, hoping to save herself some time so she could get out as quickly as possible while biting down the newfound urge to cry as she thought about the trip. 

Rey steeled herself against the new onslaught of emotions, willing herself to remain strong in her exit. She had done nothing wrong. She didn’t need to cry about this right now. She could cry later, over ice cream and bad movies, in Rose’s comforting embrace. 

Rey packed as swiftly as possible, running over a small mental list of everything she would need. She decided against bringing things like Chewie’s food, settling for buying it tomorrow so she could get out of this apartment as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did. It certainly felt like her life was crumbling around her.

Rey hadn’t lied when she’d told Kylo time and time again that she felt differently about him compared to other men she had been with. She had not been trying to stroke his ego or win him over with fancy words. 

Rey genuinely loved Kylo, tentatively and honestly had given him her heart - something she had  _ never _ done with anyone else. And now here she was, reaping the consequences of intimate vulnerability, now knowing that Kylo had never been as vulnerable and truthful in return until it was already too late. 

A part of Rey hoped that it wasn’t too late - that something could be salvaged from these burning and wrecked remains. But she wasn’t so sure. She felt betrayed and played, and she still didn’t understand the full gravity of what Kylo  _ was. _

If he hadn’t lied, which a part of her believed he hadn’t (unless she was suddenly crazy enough to hallucinate her kitchen catching on fire without any damage or without feeling any heat as the flames erupted around them), then he was a supernatural being. Rey had no idea how to even begin to comprehend and fathom what that really meant. What that meant for him, or her, or them together. If there even was a “them” after this. 

Rey collected herself and her thoughts with another steadying, calming breath, before she gathered her things, calling Chewie to her and leaving the apartment for a second time that day - this time for good, not even looking at the ring that called to her as she walked out the door. 

***

Kylo watched Rey leave the first time with a shuddering sob that shook his whole body. Rey had taken her ring off and with it essentially closed herself off completely from him, cutting him off in a way that threatened to break Kylo. He felt as if a part of him was lost as she took it off, the comforting buzz of her energy zapped from him instantaneously - shocking him and leaving him in a state of panic and desperation.

How had everything gone so, so wrong? How could he have been so stupid - so selfish? What was he thinking? Kylo couldn’t even find it in him to do anything but cry - cry about what he had lost, cry out of anger, cry from the pain that made him feel as if he couldn’t breathe. 

Kylo wanted to break things, he wanted to burn something down or destroy something. The thing was, though, that he had no one to blame but himself. Rey’s feelings were valid - her confusion, her anger, her insecurity, her sadness. All of it made sense.

If Kylo could go back in time and change everything he would do it in a heartbeat, but that wasn’t the way the world worked. What a cruel thing to have almost infinite power, yet feel so powerless at the hands of your own decisions, unable to change the outcome of the very thing that he had caused. Unable to stop the one thing he cared about more than anything else from walking away from him. Unable to stop the heartbreak that poured forth from the both of them. 

Kylo stayed sitting at the table, distraught and looking downright disheveled, motionless and stuck in his current position without the will to even stand and go sit on the couch. He remained there, almost comatose as his emotions swirled violently around him, when he heard keys being pushed into the lock.

Kylo quickly concealed himself to respect Rey’s wishes, but he couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat at the idea that she might be back and ready for him - ready to forgive and move on and love again. He couldn’t be more mistaken. 

As Rey let him know that she was leaving the apartment for a few days, offering him refuge in her home until she had a plan, Kylo felt like screaming. He could do nothing - of course - considering that this was his own doing (and undoing). 

So he watched with fresh tears in his eyes as Rey packed and left for the second time that day, taking his heart with her. Kylo made a resolution in that moment to stop wallowing in the actions of the past. He had to let the past die, kill it if he had to. He would have to move on. Would have to win her back somehow. 

Kylo had no idea how he was going to manage that, but he would do everything he could do to get her back. There was one thing he did know, that he could not live without Rey Dameron, and he would definitely, never  _ ever _ lie to her again. 

  
  



	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And as quickly as the pain train began, it finishes its little journey.
> 
> Also shout out to Hux and Rose being the best friends these two idiots could have ever asked for. May we all have a Hux and Rose in our lives as we go into 2021!

When Rey got to Rose’s apartment, all she said was, “I don’t want to talk about it, I just want to drink.” 

Thankfully, Rose was the best friend anybody could ask for, immediately getting Rey her own bottle of wine with a large glass and popping in a movie before she got busy making snacks and opening up some ice cream. 

“I bought you a pint,” Rose said sheepishly as she handed Rey the container of Chunky Monkey. “And I expect that to all be gone by the end of the night.” 

Rey gave her a small smile in thanks, enveloping the petite woman in a hug before Rose went off to finish getting all of the other snacks ready. They cried and ate and laughed, talking about anything except for Kylo and the situation that had landed Rey in Rose’s apartment in the first place. 

Rose knew that Rey would talk about it in her own time, and knew that tonight was just about letting loose and forgetting before the pain settled in for the long haul. She was happy to be able to provide support for her friend, even as she watched with raised eyebrows as Rey eagerly guzzled down wine straight from the bottle. 

***

Rey woke up with a splitting headache thanks to her generous wine consumption and the fact that she had, unfortunately, still cried herself to sleep despite desperately trying to drink herself to the point where she forgot who she even was. No such luck, apparently. 

She groaned as she stretched, her mouth feeling like it was stuffed with cotton and her body feeling every bit as unhappy as she did. As she curled up again on her side to try to fall back asleep for a little bit, her hands brushed over something soft. It was a plain black hoodie.  _ Kylo’s _ . 

Rey ran her fingers over the thick fabric, realizing that in her drunken state last night she must have dug it out from the duffel bag she’d brought with her - the one that had still been unpacked from their trip to New York. 

Tears stung at her eyes as she hugged the sweater, feeling dampness on the material from where she must have cried into it last night. Rey let herself cry, allowing herself to grieve a relationship that she had truly treasured. 

Once she had cried herself out, she got up, promising herself she wouldn’t allow the day to be spent sobbing into Kylo’s clothes. It was December 27th and she still had New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to get through before she could just spend the days moping around. She had to start preparing herself to look presentable now, so that she could play along for the holidays before she had some time to herself to bawl all she wanted. 

Rey went to check on Chewie who was sleeping in the living room on the couch. She smiled at the snoozing dog, his nose tucked into his tail as he slumbered. After, she ambled over to the bathroom to run a bath. If there was one thing that always made Rey feel better, it was a nice long soak in the tub. 

Thankfully, Rose was as much of an avid fan of the past time as she was, so she borrowed some of her supplies and settled in. Rose was at work until later that evening, so Rey had the apartment to herself. She thought about the things she needed to buy as she ran the water, pouring in salt mixed with fragrant herbs before she plopped a bath bomb in. Rey watched the bath bomb bubble and fizz, wondering if her relationship with Kylo was dissolving just as quickly before her eyes - if it wasn’t already all fizzed out. 

***

Rey went about her days in a daze, going into work as normal, unable to tell anyone but Rose (and even that had been out of necessity) about her current relationship status (or non-status). Fortunately for her, the First Order was going to be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, so she was able to relax before the party tonight. 

This year the crew was going to Rose’s work party - it promised an open bar and a nice venue that offered a balcony where people could break off and search the skies for fireworks if they weren’t already watching on the giant projector that was going to be set up. Free food and drinks were everything that Rey needed right now, a welcome distraction from the gnawing ache in her heart that had yet to be fully addressed. 

On the morning of New Year’s Eve Rey woke up alone, once more clutching on to that damn hoodie she couldn’t seem to let go of. Rose still had to work a half day so she was going to be alone until at least well into the afternoon. 

Rey got up to feed Chewie and get some coffee, not realizing she had absentmindedly put on the hoodie before she left the room. _ This is going to be a long day _ , she thought as she put the hood up and drew the strings closed to cocoon herself. At least she was warm. 

Rey went about making herself a latte with Rose’s fancy espresso machine, stirring in her milk when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Rey spun around, almost dropping her mug when her eyes settled on the person who had made the noise. 

A tall, ginger man was standing near her. Rey grabbed the spoon in her coffee and held it as if it was a knife, splattering some coffee in the process. “W-who are you? How did you get in here?!” she asked, eyes wide and heart racing. 

The man held out his hands in a surrendering motion as he spoke, “My name is Hux. I’m a friend of Kylo’s. I just wanted to speak to you.”

“Kylo? Are you… are you one of  _ them _ ?” Rey whispered even though the apartment was empty save for her and the man before her. 

“Well, that’s one way to put it, I guess. But yes, I suppose I am one of  _ them _ if by  _ them _ you mean a demon,” Hux replied, arching an eyebrow at Rey. “Now, would you please put down your oh-so-threatening spoon and give me the pleasure of a chat?” 

Rey narrowed her eyes at him, resisting the urge to chuck the spoon at him and run. He looked very human-like for a supernatural being, but then again, so had Kylo. She really had a lot to learn. If she even wanted to be with Kylo after this whole thing was over. 

Rey and Hux sat across from each other at the dining table, Rey settling as far away as cordially possible from the being before her. “Okay, you have my attention. Now talk,” she bit out, determined to make this visit as short as possible. Unfortunately, Rose wouldn’t be done with work for a while so she couldn’t use her as a possible saving grace. 

“Wow, I can see why Kylo likes you. You’re very… feisty,” Hux started, looking her over with a hint of a smile. 

It was Rey’s turn to raise her eyebrows at him, urging him silently to get on with it. Hux sighed before he began again, “I just wanted to offer my support. I’m sure you’re not very happy with Kylo right now, for good reason. I wanted to answer any questions you might have and to see if you’d be willing to go back to him - if any of  _ this _ , is salvageable.” 

“Why do you care?” Rey asked suspiciously. 

“Because, much to my displeasure, that annoying behemoth is one of my closest friends and I know how much he truly cares for you. I haven’t gone to visit him yet, but I am sure he is distraught. I can feel as much through his force signature - and it must be quite a lot if I can pick up on it without even checking in on him.”

“Force signature? What do you mean?” 

“It’s every being’s natural energies or auras. Supernatural beings are more sensitive to them and we can feel emotions and other things through them sometimes, even communicate through it. But that’s beside the point. What I’m trying to say is he’s an idiot who has never had a relationship despite living since basically the beginning of time, and he thought he was doing the best possible thing by hiding the truth from you until he thought you could handle it - until he thought you would love him enough not to leave him despite his true nature.” 

“He… told you all that?” Rey questioned, feeling her heart swell with Hux’s words. 

“I’m paraphrasing, but yes, essentially. He was a bit more aggressive about it - my brother-in-law isn’t exactly a poet,” Hux laughed bitterly. 

“Brother-in-law?”

“Yes, my wife is his sister. We are currently taking over his job while Kylo dilly-dallies around with mortals until he figures out how to escape his punishment. Not that Leia made it very easy, as I’m sure he told you.” 

“Kind of,” Rey replied hesitantly, rolling over all of this information in her head. This explained the family business situation, something Kylo had further alluded to in his confession to her earlier that week. Things were beginning to line up but there were still a lot of things that didn’t make sense. It was too much information all at once, Rey’s brain feeling overloaded with the weight of it. 

“Anyway,” Hux drawled, sounding somehow both interested and bored in the conversation. “Do you have any questions? Anything you want to know or have to clear the air before you make a decision about him?” 

“Can you tell me a little bit more about the ring and the bond? I just want to understand whether he actually loves me or if he’s only with me because of the ring… for his freedom.” 

“Well, let’s put it this way. One, he is actually, viscerally, deeply upset by your disappearance. I have never felt such a disturbance in his force signature in all my time knowing him - and this is saying a lot considering Kylo is the biggest hot head I know and is prone to blow ups,” Hux chuckled, surely recounting in his head all the meltdowns Kylo had had over the years. 

Rey, on the other hand, couldn’t really think of any time she had seen Kylo truly angry except for when he had defended her against Anakin. She wondered what this meant about Kylo and her, and the idea that the devil, someone who inherently craved chaos, had stood up for her before she could endure violence at someone else’s hand. Why would he have done that if he didn’t actually care for her? 

Hux’s voice broke her out of her thoughts as he went on, “And two, even though he’s had countless masters through the ring, he’s never formed a connection to anyone. Not to mention that he never followed their orders when they found out about the nature of the ring. Kylo always prided himself on twisting their words to create destruction or the opposite of what his master had asked of him. Yet, he never did that with you. In fact, I’m pretty sure he even tried to help you. Am I right?” 

“Somewhat,” Rey responded curtly. She still didn’t know how to feel about her small fortune. She honestly wasn’t sure how to feel about all of it, but Hux was pointing out some important things. It truly did seem like Kylo cared, and that changed the tone of things for her. 

While the betrayal of being lied to hit hard, the insecurity that Kylo was only with her because of some of the magic from the ring had been weighing on her mind the most. She could at least understand why Kylo would hide these things from her. It couldn’t have been easy trying to find a way to tell your mortal girlfriend that you’re literally the devil. 

Rey met Hux’s eyes, looking at him to assess how earnest he was being. He had no reason to lie to her, and Rey found herself trusting him. 

“You’ve given me a lot to think about, Hux,” Rey finally said after a few beats of silence. “If you’d be so kind, I’d like to sit and think and drink my coffee now. But, really, thank you for coming. This has definitely… opened up my eyes more regarding this whole matter.”

“In favor of Kylo?” Hux asked, a slight lilt in his tone.

“I’m not sure yet, but the odds are better than they were,” Rey answered, turning just one side of her mouth upwards in the barest form of a smile. 

Hux nodded in response. “It was great to meet you, Rey Dameron. I truly hope you give our boy another chance. Goodness knows he tries, even if the outcome isn’t always positive. His heart is in it, although his follow through needs some damn work.” 

With those final words, Hux disappeared right before her eyes - leaving Rey alone and more turned around than ever before. She had a lot to sift through before making a decision, hoping that she would make the right one. Was love enough to save her relationship with Kylo Ren? Or was the love not enough to take away the hurt, betrayal, and ultimate fact that he had lied to her throughout their whole relationship? 

Rey had to figure out whether she could forgive the man she loved, and whether she could live with herself if she didn’t. 

***

Hux popped in later that night to the sight of Kylo sprawled out on Rey’s bed, sobbing into a pillow (so much for not wallowing in his misery). Kylo was so wrapped up in his bubble of sadness that he didn’t even realize he had a guest until Hux muttered, “Pull yourself together, man.” 

Kylo jumped a little, startled by his brother-in-law’s sudden appearance. He quickly regained his composure as he stood up to his full height and snarled at the lesser demon, “You better have a good fucking reason to be here because otherwise I  _ really _ don’t want to hear it, Hux.” 

“So testy! _ Every time _ ! It’s like you’re not even glad to see me sometimes, brother mine. You know, you should be nicer to me. I’m pretty much your only friend,” Hux stated, looking at his nails after buffing them against his shirt. 

Kylo all but growled at him, a low warning rumble echoing from deep within his chest. Hux narrowed his eyes at him before admitting, “I visited your girlfriend.” 

Kylo’s demeanor instantly changed, his shoulders dropping as his face softened at the mention of Rey. “You did?” 

“Sure did.”

“And…?” 

“And I think you fucked up but maybe not as bad as you think,” Hux answered. Kylo let out a big puff of air, some more tension leaving his body at Hux’s words. 

“You don’t think it’s over between us?” 

“I didn’t say that, Ren. I’m just saying maybe don’t go throwing yourself into the pit of despair yet,” Hux replied. 

“Do you really think I have a chance? You weren’t here… you didn’t see how she reacted. I really, really hurt her. And that’s the last thing I ever wanted to do. I want nothing but her happiness - even if that means she doesn’t take me back,” Kylo whispered, almost as if he said it out loud in a normal voice his worst fears would come true. 

“And that’s exactly why I think you have a chance,” Hux confided. “Just… get yourself together. It’s a mortal holiday so I’m sure if there’s ever a time for a grand gesture it’s tonight.”

“I can’t do anything. I’m stuck here. She left the ring here, by the door.” 

“Well, good thing I got some clearance from Leia before coming to use a little extra magic on you as an overdue present for all those birthdays we missed,” Hux winked. 

He took in Kylo’s confused look before elaborating, “I’m going to take the ring and place it somewhere Rey will find. If she doesn’t put it on within a day it’ll go back to where it was, but either way you can’t leave where you are unless she puts it on. This way if she wants you back she has the chance. Maybe she just needs an extra push.” 

“Why would Leia do that after not caring for so many years where I even was?”

“She always cared, Ren. She just has a funny way of showing it. Ironically enough, you’re both too prideful for your own good. And like I said last time, I think she wants grandkids,” Hux laughed, before summoning the ring to his hand. 

“Best of luck, loverboy,” Hux remarked snidely before disappearing with a wave of his hand, leaving Kylo with his blood coursing through his body at record speed as his heart thumped wildly in his chest. Leave it to Hux to drop a bomb on him and then vanish without a trace. He always did have a flair for the dramatic. 

Flopping back onto the bed, Kylo had two lingering thoughts. One, was about how if he got to hold Rey again he’d never let her go. The other was about how he owed Hux for the rest of his eternal life if this worked out. However, only one of the thoughts made him grin like a child in the candy store. 

***

Later that night, as Rey was touching up her make-up in the bathroom at the party, she found something at the bottom of her clutch that made her freeze. She had been looking for her lipstick when something caught her eye. It was the ring. 

Rey didn’t know how it had ended up there, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Hux was playing matchmaker. After her talk with the demon she had thought through everything he and Kylo had told her. Rey had decided that she could get past the betrayal if Kylo promised to be honest for the rest of however long their relationship would last (hopefully, if she had her way, quite a long time - too nervous to think about forever yet). 

Rey had come to the conclusion after thinking everything through that while Kylo Ren was special and unique in his own right because he wasn’t even human, that he was even more special and unique to her simply because he was  _ Kylo Ren _ , no matter what that entailed. In the end, Rey truly believed that Kylo was it for her, and she didn’t want to think about what her life would be like if she allowed herself to miss this opportunity. 

Either way you looked at it, a love like this didn’t come often, and Rey finally understood her feelings for Kylo and his feelings for her. Kylo may have been misguided, but at the end of the day his decision to not tell her made at least some sense, and most importantly, Rey now knew that he was truly loyal and devoted to her. 

Once Rey had realized how much she truly loved Kylo and how much Kylo loved her back, the decision seemed an easy one. She had thought to herself that she’d go home after the party instead of back to Rose’s, determined to hear Kylo out again and give him another chance. It seemed that Hux, however, had a more theatrical reunion planned for her. 

Rey quickly finished reapplying her lipstick and then headed back to the party, telling Rose she was going to get some fresh air by the balcony before she exited out into the chill of the night. Checking that she was alone, she zipped up her jacket against the winter breeze and opened up her clutch, searching for the glittering ring in the dark of the night. 

As soon as she put the ring on her slender finger ( _ where it belongs _ , she thought), she heard the sound of rushing air and then a gasp. Rey slowly turned around to find Kylo Ren behind her, offering him a soft smile as she heard her name whispered reverently from his lips before he kneeled down at her feet, burying his face into her stomach and crushing her to him in a strong embrace. 

Rey carded her fingers through his soft locks as he sobbed into her jacket, his body shaking hers as she cooed reassuringly to him, “I know, Kylo. I know. I love you, too.” 

  
  



End file.
